Prior to sitting and writing this post I was out in nature. Strapping on my Brooks Glycerin running shoes and heading out to get my fill of Vitamin D a thought reached my consciousness, "I think I should write on mindfulness."
While walking down my street, reaching and breaking off and fingering the Callistemon bottlebrush that grows locally I began to formulate the structure of this post. I'd wanted to write on being mindful for a while, but never quite got around to it.
I smiled, closed my eyes and enjoyed the warm rays of sunshine as they projected onto my forehead. Spreading out my arms I felt the cool wind responsible for the goosebumps that were reluctantly showing themselves upon my bare skin. I breathed in the scent of freshly cut lawns (quite a difficult feat given my semi-blocked nose) and went on walking about.
I thought about the discussion in the psychology field regarding our deprivation of nature to the happening of the concrete jungles we surround ourselves with on a day-by-day basis.
Not too long ago (relatively speaking) in our evolutionary history our ancestors were trudging along to nature without the slightest clue that it's neurologically beneficial for us.
Since the industrial revolution we've faced, and are quite accustomed to our lives of supply and demand; of solitude and production; of constriction and restriction. Most of us have forgotten what it's like to be outside. We suffer from vitamin deficiencies, of mood disorders, of a plethora of addictions given how we've found ourselves living in the here-and-now.
But should I even use the term "here-and-now"? That designates that we're conscious of what's happening to us here and now. But we're not! That's why writing this has been so important to me - I want to introduce you to the "here-and-now". To introduce you to owning your current experience rather than living a life of distraction.
I want you to "stop and smell the roses."
What is mindfulness?
Stemming from Buddhist philosophy, being mindful is allows a person to take in their surroundings and focus on the senses. Although thoughts are quite intrusive, being mindful doesn't mean we should bottle down our thoughts in favour of concentrating on our five senses, but to acknowledge them and put them aside for later (or bracket them).
When the psychology field got its grasp on mindfulness techniques things changed. We have Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy where we address cognitive concerns (like anxious thoughts and the behaviours these might lead to) in a mindful way - we attempt to understand our experience phenomenologically (i.e. understanding our experience as based on our senses) and understand our thoughts in such a way that we can test them against our actual reality (i.e. reality testing).
When we're mindful, in the therapeutic context, we're able to slow things down; to take hold of the situation through a number of relaxation techniques (e.g. controlled breathing) and effectively set ourselves up to a happier and healthier life.
Neuropsychologist Dr. Rick Hanson asserts that if we're able to "light up the brain circuits that relieve worry and stress" through mindfulness based techniques we'll be well on our way towards more "positive relationships and inner peace."
In his interview with Gestalt counsellor Clinton Power from the Australian Counselling Directory, Hanson deliberated upon the brain's ability to reformulate itself and create better functioning neural pathways if we're able to undertake various changes in thought and behaviour. We're able to self-direct our brains towards preferential plasticity!
So how can we be more mindful?
It can honestly start with stopping to smell the roses. By putting on your walking shoes and taking in your surroundings you're better adept at changing your neural circuitry for the better.
By being mindful in what you eat, feel, smell, and so on, you're well on your way to a happier and healthier self.
1. One Minute Exercise: Sit in front of a clock and focus your entire attention on your breathing and nothing else, for the minute. This can be a great quick way to get present during the work day, just use the clock on your taskbar.
2. Mindful Eating: Eat your meal slowly, paying full attention to which piece of food you select to eat, how it looks, how it smells, its texture and taste – how you cut the food, the sound of your knife and fork or chopsticks against the plate, the muscles you use to raise it to your mouth.
3. Mindful Walking: While walking concentrate on the feel of the ground under your feet and your breathing. Observe what is around you as you walk, notice what you can see (other walkers, trees, cars), notice what you can smell (ocean air, food as you walk past cafes, the earth), notice what you can feel (e.g., the wind or sun on your face), notice what you can hear (leaves crunching under your feet, the clinking of cutlery in cafes, birds etc).
So get on it!
Images retrieved from:
http://www.philosophywa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/mind_full.jpg
http://stylonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nature.jpg
http://www.yogaloft.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/meditation-omharmonics.png
