Mindful
Mindful
an understanding
What is mindful?
We use the words Care(ful), Peace(ful) and Grace(ful) regularly, knowing what they mean in each instance. Mind(ful) can be used in the same way, a word used to remind us to take care of our minds. Mindfulness involves paying attention to what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.
It's easy to stop noticing the world around us and to lose touch with the way our bodies are feeling and to end up living "in our heads" – caught up in our thoughts without stopping to notice how those thoughts are driving our emotions and behaviour. Some poeple call this a Monkey Mind.
An important part of being mindful is reconnecting with our bodies and the sensations they experience. This means paying attention to our Five main Senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
Another important part of being mindful is an awareness of our thoughts and feelings as they happen moment to moment.
How being mindful helps wellbeing
Becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better. When we become more aware of the present moment, we begin to experience afresh things that we have been taking for granted.
Being mindful also allows us to become more aware of the stream of thoughts and feelings that we experience, and to see how we can become entangled in that stream in ways that are not helpful.
This lets us stand back from our thoughts and start to see their patterns. Gradually, we can train ourselves to notice when our thoughts are taking over and realise that thoughts are simply "mental events" that do not have to control us.
Being mindful can help us deal with issues more productively. We can ask: "Is trying to solve this by worrying about it helpful, or am I just getting caught up in my thoughts?"
Reminding yourself to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you is the first step to mindfulness.
Notice the everyday
As you go about your daily life, you can notice the sensations of things, the food we eat, the air moving past the body as we walk. Reminding yourself to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you is the first step to being mindful.
Mind your thoughts
Some people find it very difficult to practise being mindful. As soon as they stop what they're doing, lots of thoughts and worries crowd in. It might be useful to remember that being mindful isn't about making these thoughts go away, but rather about seeing them as mental events that come and go. This can be very hard at first, but with gentle persistence it is possible.
To develop an awareness of thoughts and emotions, some people find it helpful to silently name them: "Here's the thought that I might fail that exam" or: "This is anxiety". Dr Bach Flower Remedies are used to treat emotions. Therefore being aware of an emotions is necessary in choosing the correct Personal Mix for you.