“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”
JON KABAT-ZINN
finding your inner peace
Mindfulness is an overarching category of many different activities including mediation. In its simplest form it is paying attention to something in a deliberate way. With almost any activity, you can choose to engage in it mindfully. For example you can drink a cup of coffee or tea mindfully by noticing the different sensations; the aroma, temperature, texture or taste with each sip.
Focusing on your breathing, listening to the sounds around you, walking and noticing your steps or focusing on sights, sounds or sensations can all be mindfulness.
Research has shown that mindfulness can help a person feel calmer and less anxious.
unlocking mindfulness
I believe that mindfulness is like a muscle. The more you practice, the stronger it gets and the easier it becomes to calm yourself whenever you need it most, sometimes by just slowing down, paying attention to your breath and being present with yourself and whatever you choose to focus on in the moment.
There are many ways to practice mindfulness.
Let me tell you something
I work with clients to find the ways that work best for each person. But there are also ways you can find that for yourself. There are many wonderful apps for mindfulness. I encourage you to download a few and see for yourself what feels the most natural and helpful. Most have a free introductory period or free content for beginners. Even if you consider yourself a more experienced meditator I still recommend starting at the beginning (as Maria in Sound of Music sings… A very good place to start)