Mindfulness is everywhere these days. The concept is being introduced in schools, businesses, counselling offices, self-help books and even in the movies and shows we watch and books we read. In the recent release The Wild Robot, the main character Roz practices mindfulness techniques throughout the story, allowing her to become more in tune with and care more deeply for nature and animals. The beauty of mindfulness is that we all have the ability to implement it in our daily lives; it can be quick, simple, affordable (even free) and incredibly impactful in reducing stress, depression, and anxiety and in increasing focus and our overall well being.
What is Mindfulness?
MIndfulness originated in Eastern philosophies and religions, most particularly in Hinduism and Buddhism. At its core, mindfulness emphasizes the importance of awareness and acceptance of the present moment. It allows one to be aware of their thoughts, emotions, physical experiences, and actions without experiencing judgment or criticism of yourself, others, or experiences. By practicing mindfulness techniques and skills, you allow yourself to focus on one thing at a time and, by doing so, you can remove judgement and control and calm emotions that may be overwhelming to you.
Traditional mindfulness practices include meditation and yoga and in more recent years the practice has grown to include additional breathing techniques, journaling, and more.
Meditation
There are a variety of different types of meditation and countless resources available. Guided meditation is a common choice today and is the technique that is practiced in many of the popular meditation apps such as Headspace and Calm. In guided meditation, you call upon your senses and consider things that smell, see, hear and feel as you meditate.
In mindfulness meditation, you are asked to focus on one thing such as the flow your inhalations and exhalations. Many people believe that in this type of meditation, it is necessary to empty your mind of any thoughts however, you can notice your thoughts and feelings but then let them pass without judgement.
In transcendental meditation you don’t require a guide or the use of an app. You are asked to sit in silence and repeat a mantra to yourself. The mantra can be a word or a sound. A commonly known mantra in transcendental meditation is Om. If you have ever attended a yoga class, you may have participated in this meditation at the end of a class.
Yoga
Yoga as a practice is a type of mindfulness technique. Yoga can be practiced in a studio with other participants or on your own and in your own space. A great website you try is www.alomoves.com where you can find yoga, meditation and many more types of exercise and mindfulness practices. They have kids yoga and meditations as well! One of the beautiful things about yoga is you can complete one pose or a full class and you will reap benefits. EVen in the middle of a work day, you can stand up from your desk and complete tadasana (mountain pose) and instantly feel less stressed and anxious.
Breathing Techniques
There are countless breathing exercises that can be incorporated into a mindfulness practice. Techniques include box breathing, alternate nostril breathing, Lion breathing, five-finger breathing and so many more. You can use apps such as Breathe and Breathwrk to guide you through exercises or complete a simple ‘breathing techniques’ google search. Once you find a few that work well for you, hang onto them and keep them in your mindfulness toolbox. Breathing techniques can be practiced absolutely anywhere and only need to take a few seconds to be impactful.
Additional Exercises
One of the keys to mindfulness techniques is to try a variety of options and hang onto those that are the most effective for you. You may find that focusing on an object has more impact than focusing on your breath. If you have a beaded bracelet or even just a string or piece of yarn that you can add beads to, focus on moving the beads along the line in one direction and then back again in the opposite direction. You can try making a calm down jar as well with a small mason jar, glitter, glue, soap and water. As you turn the jar over and watch the glitter settle, focus on calming your mind. Many of these additional techniques can be completed along with breathwork as well.
For some, journaling or recording your thoughts can be incredibly effective. There are many options such as gratitude journaling, self-compassion journaling, reflective journaling or expressive writing. If you find that this is a technique you would like to incorporate but are struggling with getting started, you can google ‘mindful journaling prompts’ to collect some ideas. Additionally there are a number of journals that you can find with a quick search of www.indigo.ca
Ultimately, mindfulness practices are beneficial, no matter who you are or which techniques you choose to implement. They are easily accessible, simple to learn and take very little time to incorporate into your daily life. You can get started with practicing mindfulness today and notice a change right away.
