Mindfulness: When I say ‘go’ name the first few things that come to mind. Go!
Let me have a guess at where your mind went:
Who’se got the time?
Whoo-whoo science.
It’s for monks and yogis.
Sitting cross-legged.
Meditation.
I don’t have the patience.
Closing your eyes and imaging unicorns.
Am I close?
Okay, yes, sometimes mindfulness might involve a bit of flexing and stretching, or a bit of mental imagery. And yes, sometimes it can take time but there are so many types of mindfulness practice that ultimately it’s up to you what it looks like.
Mindfulness may not be what you think it is.
It is actually extensively researched and scientifically validated to have real effects on the brain and body.
Also, you can actually practice mindfulness in only a few seconds, even while just going about your usual daily routine. You don’t need to stand on your head! You don’t even need to sit down and close your eyes!
We are sharing our thoughts on the topic of mindfulness because we care about people and we care about sharing information about things that research has shown improves wellbeing. And let’s be honest, the world can really do with a bit of TLC right now.
What is mindfulness?
American Psychological Association (APA.org) defines it as:
“…a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment. In this sense, mindfulness is a state and not a trait. While it might be promoted by certain practices or activities, such as meditation, it is not equivalent to or synonymous with them.”
Simply put, mindfulness is trying to pay attention to what we can feel or notice right now inside our bodies (i.e. thoughts, sensations and emotions) and outside our bodies (e.g. actions, events, sights, smells, sounds etc.). This process is a gentle, and curious process where we practice suspending our judgements.
The surprising and varied benefits of mindfulness
Mindfulness practice seems almost to be somewhat magical, bringing healing and benefit to the where the body needs it.
Research has demonstrated benefits ranging from pain management (as much as a 50% reduction in pain), to brain development (better focus, learning, memory, and creativity), to improved resilience and mental health, to improved physical health.
In the current environmental climate, with a large portion of the world working remotely, some in complete isolation from others, the power of mindfulness to combat negative emotional states and even feelings of loneliness seem particularly important.
The benefits of regular mindfulness practice affects all areas of life, although you may notice it more if your intention with using the practice is quite specific. For example, mindfulness can support us at work, through enhancing our mental function and focus. It can support us in relationships through increasing self-awareness, emotional regulation and thereby our choices. It can support our health and wellbeing by rejuvenating our brains (yup, mindfulness can reverse cognitive degeneration), reducing levels of cortisol (less stress) in the body, and increasing melatonin (more sleep!). If you choose to do practices that involve movement, like yoga (we love Yoga with Adriene), you will even get the additional benefits associated with moving the body.
Simple Mindfulness Practices
Below are a few of the simplest and quickest mindfulness activities you could possibly start with to get you going – and you can invite the whole family to try these!
Cool down breathing activity
The breath is like an anchor that brings us back to our bodies and out of our minds.
This activity is very simple but very useful if we notice our hearts or mind racing. A slow outward breath is very effective at calming down the fight and flight response in the body.
Backward walking activity
Step up this activity by doing the following: focus on first planting your heel on the ground, followed by the ball of your foot as you walk forward, noticing how it feels. Do this for about 10 steps. Once you have completed the 10 steps, start walking backwards slowly by first planting the ball of the foot followed by the heel. This time pay attention to the sensations of the action and the effort of balancing.
Body scan activity
This activity involves moving your awareness from one part of the body to the next, noticing what you are feeling in each part of the body. It is easiest to start at the top, moving you way down the body in the following order:
Your head. Notice any tension in your forehead? The jaw? Relax, breathe deeply, notice the sensations and move on.
Is your neck feeling heavy or tight? Relax, breathe, move on.
shoulders
upper back
lower back
stomach
bottom
thighs
calves
feet.
Mindful Eating
Eating? I like eating! Well, you can do this next practice right now with any snack, e.g. an apple, or next time you sit down for a meal. This is a great tool to teach us to slooooow down.
Meditate
Try this three-minute meditation. This is a great one if meditation is new to you.
What next?
Do any of these simple practices seem like something you could do?
Now, we are most likely to do things when we set a clear intention and even tell someone else about it. So:
Which activity are going to try first?
When you are going to do (exactly)? Where will you do it (exactly).
Who are you going to tell?
Let’s be honest – many of us have more time on our hands than usual, and perhaps aren’t going anywhere for the time being. We might as well stop telling ourselves it’s inconvenient (boring, unscientific, weird…) and just try it!
Blog By Ance Strydom