Mindful Monday

Mindful Monday -

Welcome to Mindful Monday! Every Monday a different facet of mindfulness will be covered, ranging from being more present to different meditation styles. Being mindful is simply defined as being in the present moment in a compassionate, non-judgemental manner. BUT there is so much more to it! This week's Mindful Monday explores the subtle differences between mindfulness and meditation.

Hello Beautiful People!

Let's talk about mindfulness and meditation. Both mindfulness and meditation are very similar concepts, that overlap in many ways. To begin to understand it all, let's break them down individually first.

What is Meditation?

On the outside, everyone who meditates looks similar. Sitting still, cross legged, stoic, and calm. So the common understanding is that meditation is sitting for an extended amount of time, body and mind still. Those who believe this idea is meditating are also those that believe they cannot meditate, because they have misunderstood what meditation really is. It is impossible to stop all thoughts, our mind is not designed to operate this way.

The goal of meditation is to allow thinking but not become carried away by the thoughts, engaging in fantasies, fears, or anxieties unnecessarily. 

Those types of thoughts are anywhere but rooted in the present, and in so, ruminating on those thoughts only causes suffering. There is nothing that can be done about them; they are thoughts about what has happened or may happen. Neither the past nor the future can be changed by what takes us away from the present.

Meditation is practicing to be in the present moment so that you may be able to stay present in other moments of your day; like moments that require intense focus, moments that you wish would last forever, or moments where you need to remember to breathe so you do not become unhinged.

What is being practiced during meditation is mindfulness. 

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is fully paying attention to the present moment, while compassionately and non-judgmentally accepting your own feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Basically, it is focusing your awareness on the present, only on what is going on right now!

Mindfulness is not an action but a way of being; a way to approach and fully live your life. Meditation is the formal practice of mindfulness. 

Why is this important?

The present moment is the only moment in time that we have a choice or control over anything. Spending energy on the past (already happened) or the future (hasn't happened) creates tension. This tension leads to anxiety, worry, a sense of urgency, anguish.

When our thoughts are anywhere but the present, it leads to adventitious suffering. 

Adventitious suffering is the pain of what was, what will be, what could be, or what someone else is experiencing. Contrary to any physical ailments, adventitious suffering is purely due to our thoughts and is completely in our control. Practicing mindfulness through meditation helps you experience the present moment more fully, not suffering in mental scenarios that are outside of your control.

Buddhists reasoned that our default mode is to suffer, but only because we don't know better. We learn to quiet our mind, letting go of bad mental habits, and choosing to live with our focus fully on the present. Science has found a key element in happiness is mindfulness. Happiness is not the result of external circumstances, but on where we place our energies, where we let our thoughts go. Lasting happiness can only come from freeing ourselves of our mind so we can see the world as it truly is. Mindfulness is the key.

Here is a fantastic TED talk by Andy Puddicombe, a mindfulness expert, on the benefits of mindfulness and how little time, with the right guidance, is required to incorporate mindfulness into your life.

 I understand the difference but HOW do I meditate?

Meditation is very simple when you understand that there is very little to actually do. Meditating is stepping away from your thoughts witnessing them as they are; allowing them to pass through your mind like clouds, not engaging or focusing on them, just letting them float by. 

Meditation most often begins by focusing on your breath because: 

• By focusing on something physical, your mind is only in the present. Anything that happens to your body or breath only happens now. Your mind may anticipate something in the future or remember what happened in the past, but those thoughts are only in your mind and not actually happening. 
• Focusing on your breath is helpful because it is constantly moving. By focusing on something that changes moment to moment and flows through different parts of your body, your mind can more easily remain attentive. Your mind will wonder throughout meditation, but that is ok! That is going to happen, you cannot stop your thoughts. Say that out loud because it is important to remember. In meditation, you are not supposed to stop your thoughts! So if your mind wanders in meditation, just come back to your breath, realizing you did not fail! Doing this, you have succeeded in being mindful and meditated right!

This realization is what changes someone's mind from they cannot meditate to they can. It is simple to meditate: 

1. Focus on your breath
2. Mind will wander
3. Notice is wanders
4. Pat yourself on the back because you are now back to the present
5. Re-focus on your breath
6. Rinse and repeat steps 1-6 for as long as you want to

There is no right or wrong way to meditate and there are many different ways to meditate. To help you get started, here is a free 20 minute guided mindfulness meditation.

Stay tuned every Monday for more!

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