Mindfulness..

We hear this term thrown around quite a lot, but rarely understand the depth and history of the practice. Mindfulness is more than thinking before doing, or simply being aware.

Have you ever stopped to notice how your inner dialogue rambles on and on, commenting on every little thing, from your own actions, to the things you wish you had, to what you need to get done… mindfulness is the act of recognizing this inner dialogue as a separate identity, a distraction from reality, and once we can sit in the seat of the observer, we have the ability to find so much joy.

For example, this morning I walked to the bus stop. My mind was racing with thoughts about who I might run into in my neighborhood, what my hair looks like, what i need to do today, if I am going to miss the bus, how much I have been spending, if my breakfast was too unhealthy, and more. After a few minutes of mental torture, I looked up and saw how clear the sky was. This has always been my mental trick into getting out of my head: looking up. This simple act of changing my view prompted me to close my eyes and feel the cool air on my face. I then listened closely to the birds and the cars driving by. I used my senses to pull me out of my head and into the moment. I smiled uncontrollably. This is how we can practice mindfulness, anywhere and at any time.

I recommend reading “The Untethered Soul” by Michael A Singer to learn more in depth about this concept💕