MINDFULNESS

MINDFULNESS Link to Mindfulness in Plain English

I offer an introduction to Mindfulness Practices

Mindfulness is a state of awareness that includes our perceptions, our five senses, our physical experiences, our emotions and our intuitions. Mindfulness is training for the mind and its benefits are recognised by scientific study and has become integrated into mainstream psychology practice.

In the words of Joh Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is: 'paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgemental.'

Mindfulness meditation is a practice that cannot be fully appreciated until you've engaged in the practice yourself. If you do devote yourself to regular practice it can become an indispensable means of and cherished way of life.

Mindfulness meditation is a set of techniques for removing the everyday distractions that make it hard to be fully mindful. Once you've cultivated the ability to be mindful through meditation, it becomes easier to bring that same mindful awareness to your daily life. It is analogous to going to the gym to develop your fitness, it takes practice and will eventually have an effect on our everyday life. Your energy will increase, you will be fitter for life. Mindfulness is the gym for your mind allowing you to isolate and exercise your 'muscles' of awareness.

If you want to get a quick taste of mindfulness, try this exercise:

Find a quiet place where you can sit without being interrupted. Take a few moments to observe your breath, and relax into your body. Then turn your attention to your mind, and watch closely to see if you can consciously observe the first thought to enter your mind, as it first begins to enter you mind. You must be attentive, like a cat watching a mouse hole. See what thought comes through the mouse hole first. As the thought begins to enter your mind, continue watching it as closely as possible.

This exercise can take quite some time if you allow yourself to concentrate, be mindful. The practice of becoming more alert, mindful, tends to quell thought activity and so you have more space for present awareness of you in the world. As you're doing the exercise, become aware of not only what you are watching for the part of you that is doing the watching. This observing part of of your awareness is the essence of mindfulness. To the extent that when the part of you that watches is fully engaged, you're in a mindful state of awareness.

I will offer you a series of practices that can lead to increased experience of life as it happens not as it should have been or must be.

Please click on the link below for an introduction to Mindfulness from Jon Kabat-Zinn Mindfulness in Plain English

COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY SUPERVISION TRAINING CONSULTANCY NARRATIVE THERAPY