What is Mindfulness?  

A few years ago hardly anyone had heard of Mindfulness but now it seems as if it being applied everywhere; schools, hospitals, social workers, businesses, athletes and even politicians are all becoming interested in the benefits of this simple practice of learning to simply pay attention to what is happening. 

Mindfulness is paying attention here and now with kindness and curiosity.

It is an integrative, mind-body approach to life that helps people relate to their experiences which involves paying attention to thoughts and feelings, body sensations in a way that helps to increase awareness and this can help us to make wise choices in life.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, founding Executive Director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School explains the concept of mindfulness as follows:

“Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.”

Does mindfulness go mainstream?

Global tech companies are connecting to the power of mindfulness and meditation to drive sustainability and happiness:

The following articles show that mindfulness is reaching mainstream.

Documented Benefits of Mindfulness

• Increased emotional regulation
• Increased social skills
• Increased ability to orient attention
• Increased working memory and planning and organization
• Increased self-esteem
• Increased sense of calmness, relaxation, and self acceptance
• Increased quality of sleep
• Decreased test anxiety
• Decreased ADHD behaviours specifically hyperactivity and impulsivity
• Decreased negative affect/ emotions
• Decreased anxiety
• Decreased depression
• Fewer conduct and anger management problems [1]

Examples of mindfulness practice include:

• Becoming aware of the breath;
• Feeling the various physical sensations of an emotion;
• Noticing thoughts as they pass through the mind;
• Paying attention to all the sounds in the room;
• Noticing what happens in the body when there is stress;
• Watching the thoughts that arise when there is boredom;
• Feeling the stomach rise and fall with each breath

Mindfulness practice is widely used in business, healthcare, and education to improve attention and well-being. Mindfulness practice does not depend on or interfere with any religion, cultural context or belief system. Mindfulness can be completely secular. Fortune 500 companies provide mindfulness instruction to their employees to reduce on-the-job stress, hundreds of hospitals refer patients to courses in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to develop skills to cope with physical and emotional pain, and dozens of schools (private and public) are using mindfulness practices to help their students succeed. [2,3,4]

Easy ways to incorporate mindfulness into your day & Stress Management

Many people are forgetful; they are not living in the here and now. Their mind is caught in their worries, their fears, their anger, and their regrets, and they are not mindful of being there. The opposite of forgetfulness is mindfulness.

“Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in.” It is such a simple practice, but it can transform your life.

Watch your breath. This is the most common way to practice mindfulness, because our breath is always with us. The switch-over to the calming systems that work with the parasympathetic nervous system happens almost as soon as we start to pay attention.

You don’t have to sit cross-legged on the floor, but you can if you want to.  You can also practise bringing mindful awareness to whatever you are doing, on buses, trains or while walking or driving to work. You can meditate more or less anywhere.

Be mindful as you wake up

What is the first thought that comes to your mind as you wake up?  “I am so tired!”, or  “Another long day at work”. If these are your first thoughts of the day, chances are you will have a dreadful day.

So, be mindful of your thoughts as you wake up to a new day. Be thankful for the sleep you just had. Be aware of how the floor feels as you walk to the bathroom, that’s your first step towards a mindful day!

Be mindful when you brush your teeth

How do you usually brush your teeth? Just simply getting through it as quickly as possible? You could transform it to a mindfulness exercise. Pay attention to the toothpaste, the way it tastes and the way it looks. Be mindful of the strokes of the brush as they clean your teeth making you feel fresh or think about all the things you are grateful for.

Mindful eating After sitting down, pause for just 20 seconds before you begin to eat. Smile at your food and bless it if you wish. Chew slowly, noticing the flavour and the texture of every bite. Really pay attention to your food. What colour or texture does it have? How does it feel like in your mouth? Eating can become a wonderful and relaxing mini vacation. Try not to multitask while eating – no TV, no Facebook, and always sit down while you’re eating.

Walking to work or to the bus/train station

This is a wonderful opportunity to practice walking meditation. Bring your attention to the sensations of your feet and legs as the heel touches the ground, then the base of the foot, the toes, and when they lift. Pay attention to the sounds and what is around you. Become aware of your breath and repeat the following phase: “Breathing in, I calm my body, breathing out, I feel rejuvenated and relaxed.” Use your imagination to make up your own phrases.

You could also say an affirmation or a simple thank you prayer.

On the bus or train For many of us, our commute to work is filled with frustrated feelings and stressed-out thoughts. Most people hate commuting and people with very long commutes tend to feel more tiredness and less enjoyment during their working day than those with short commutes. There are plenty of ways to work this opportunity for peace and make the journey less stressful. A few ideas: you can tune into one of your senses, close your eyes and simply notice your breath, silently repeat a mantra or massage your hands. Meditating is another option. You could also tune in into your physical sensations. Notice the vibration of your body, your legs, thighs and feets while the train or bus is moving.

While driving  – Red light Pay close attention to your bodily sensations. While you are driving your car, you might notice the tension in your body. You are eager to arrive and you don’t enjoy the time you spend driving. When you come to a red light, do you become impatient? The red light can become a reminder that there is tension in you, the stress of wanting to arrive as quickly as possible. As you as you become aware of it, you can make use of the red light. You can sit back and relax – and use the time the light is red to practice mindful breathing and release the tension in the body.

So next time you are stopped at a red light, you might like to sit back and practice the exercise which the famous mindfulness teacher Thich Nhat Hanh gave us for releasing tension in the body: “Breathing in, I’m aware of my body. Breathing out, I release the tension in my body.” Peace is possible at that moment, and it can be practiced many times a day – in the workplace, while you are driving, while you are cooking, while you are standing in a queue or while you are doing the dishes… we have always the option to make a different choice. It is always possible to practice releasing the tension in yourself and focus on your breath instead of becoming impatient or irritated.

Before answering the phone Have you ever noticed how quickly you respond to the phone ringing? From the moment it rings, do you instantly feel the need to respond immediately? Does a ringing phone knock you out of your present moment or disconnect you from the people you’re with?

Try taking three deep breaths and center yourself before answering the phone. Experience a moment of presence before answering the phone. Notice what it is like to pause before your answer.

Before checking email

Do you check your emails first thing in the morning? Do you feel the need to constantly check your email?

From the moment you think of checking your email, try waiting 1-2 minutes, or take 10 breaths before checking your email. Notice if this is a challenging practice for you. During those 60 seconds, become highly aware of your breath, feeling state, what you’re thinking. Are you impatient, anxious, relaxed? What are you looking for in your email?

Thich Nhat Hanh - My favorite teacher mindfulness

One of the great mindfulness teachers is the Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. He is widely regarded as one of the great spiritual teachers of the 20th century.

A Vietnamese monk, teacher, author, poet, and peace activist, Thich Nhất Hạnh has published more than 100 books, traveled and taught around the world, and was nominated by Martin Luther King Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. In 1982 he set up Plum Village. Situated in Southern France, Plum Village is a meditation centre and home to the Order of Interbeing. Every year thousands of people from different faiths come from all over the world to attend retreats. A sangha (community of practice) of about 150 monks, nuns and lay-practitioners live permanently in Plum Village.

Shortest Dharma Talk:

“I have arrived, I am home” is the shortest Dharma Talk I have ever given. “I have arrived, I am home” means “I don’t want to run anymore.” You need that insight in order to be truly established in the here and now, and to embrace life with all its wonders. ~Thich Naht Hahn.

Guided Meditation with ThichNhatHanh

An excellent explanation of various ways to practice meditation with Thich Nhat Hanh.

30 Quotes on Mindfulness

Quote from “Mindfulness in Plain English”

“We usually do not look into what is really there in front of us. We see life through a screen of thoughts and concepts, and we mistake those mental objects for reality. We get so caught up in this endless thought-stream that reality flows by unnoticed. We spend our time engrossed in activity, caught up in an eternal flight from pain and unpleasantness. We spend our energies trying to make ourselves feel better, trying to bury our fears. We are endlessly seeking security. Meanwhile, the world of real experience flows by untouched and untasted.”

~  Henepola Gunaratana, “Mindfulness In Plain English.”

• “There is no enlightenment outside of daily life.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
• “If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.” ~ Pema Chodron
• “Realize that this very body, with its aches and it pleasures… is exactly what we need to be fully human, fully awake, fully alive.” ~ Pema Chodron
• “Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.” ~ Buddha
• “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.” ~ Buddha
• “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” ~ Buddha
• “Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.” ~ Paulo Coelho
• “Each minute of life should be a divine quest.” ~ Buddha Paramahansa Yogananda
• “Each day we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” ~ Buddha
• “Go with the flow.” ~ Ken Kesey
• “If you take care of each moment, you will take care of all time.” ~ Unknown
• “Milk every moment for all the pleasure you can get from it.” – Abraham-Hicks
• “Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different.” ~ James Baraz
• “Nothing is worth more than this day. You cannot relive yesterday. Tomorrow is still beyond your reach.” ~ Goethe
• “What we get from each moment depends on the attention we give it, and the quality of our experience reflects the quality of our awareness.” – Roger Walsh
• “If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments.” ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
• “Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” ~ Eckhart Tolle
• “I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
• “Suffering is not enough. Life is both dreadful and wonderful…How can I smile when I am filled with so much sorrow? It is natural–you need to smile to your sorrow because you are more than your sorrow.”~ Thich Nhat Hanh
• "Smile, breathe and go Slowly." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
• “Remember then: there is only one time that is important – Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.” ~ Leo Tolstoy
• “The only time you ever have in which to learn anything or see anything or feel anything, or express any feeling or emotion, or respond to an event, or grow, or heal, is this moment, because this is the only moment any of us ever gets. You’re only here now; you’re only alive in this moment.” ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn
• “The only time we suffer is when we believe a thought that argues with what is. When the mind is perfectly clear, “what is” is what we want.” – Byron Katie
• “An oak tree is an oak tree. That is all it has to do. If an oak tree is less than an oak tree, then we are all in trouble.”~ Thich Nhat Hanh (Being Peace)
• “Each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes sacred.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh (Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life)
• ‎”Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
• “When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
• “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
• “In mindfulness one is not only restful and happy, but alert and awake. Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Erika is a certified Holistic Life Coach and Practitioner. She studied a number of modalities in traditional and alternative therapies and she offers traditional life and  . Erika has natural healing abilities and works intuitively from the heart. It is each time different simply because every person is unique. Her intention is to inspire, empower and help you to find more clarity in life and reconnect with your true self. She helps people to become more aware of their gifts and also their beliefs and values they are operating under. As you start to remember who you truly are, you naturally start to re-align with your true self and your life purpose. Your life can then start to flow in a far more creative and joyful way with new meaning and direction. It is her intention to give joyfully, following her heart’s knowledge and make a meaningful difference to someone.

[2]Ryan, Oliver. “How to Succeed in Business – Mediate” CNN Money. July 20, 2007

[3] Elias, Marilyn. USA Today, 6/8/09 Mindfulness Meditation Being Used in Hospitals, Schools [4] See the Association for Mindfulness in Education Mindful Education Map

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