Mindfulness: What Is It? (Even if you dont know please post so we can help grow the forums accordingly)

[blondguy]

Hi Everybody

This is only the basic dictionary definition...

"Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment without judgement"

• Please be as blunt you wish....If you dont have an idea about mindfulness it would be great if you could let us know
• If mindfulness hasnt worked/or is too broad a concept for you it would great if you can let us know your thoughts too
• If mindfulness has helped you, please help others to help themselves by posting how you have embraced this mindset

It goes without saying that the forums are a judgement free zone and I really hope that everyone can jump in and have their say

Your input is highly valued no matter how you respond to this topic. There are no experts here...New Posters are Most Welcome!!

My Kindest Thoughts

Paul

[Guest_4643]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I appreciate it. I'll give them all a go, or as much as I feel up to.

Sleepy21 - the 5 things you can hear, etc. technique is called Grounding, interesting isn't it? I'll have to do more of that. It works well with panic attacks I've heard but of course everything is different for everybody.

PhoebeWings - interesting suggestions, thank you. Like you, I love walking too. You can see so many nice things. I always walk, take in the smell (for example the Eucalyptus smell after it's been raining, i love the smell of Eucalyptus), look at the trees, birds, all of that. I guess that's some mindfulness too.

Thanks again for the suggestions everyone, I'll try to practice them all sometime if I feel like it. Thanks for this thread.

Tayla

[blondguy]

Hi Tayla....always great to have your input on the forums and thankyou! Great post too 🙂

Hi Sleepy21.....Your input is valued and thankyou for helping us with 'mindfulness' I am not used to the term either which is why I wrote this thread topic a few years ago....yet I am learning...albeit slowly...Just a note...the forums are a safe and non judgemental place for you to post...Your privacy and well being are paramount to Beyond Blue. Sure the forums are somewhat personal yet when we post it helps so many others..Thankyou!

Hi PhoebeWings.....what a wonderful helpful post! You have mentioned several noteworthy points...I hope its okay if I quote one of them....:-)

PhoebeWings mentioned.....I find if I slow right down, right down - every little simple good thing becomes very real, very present... it’s my ‘NOW’ You took the words right out of my mouth with your point...When I joined Beyond Blue 4 years ago...I used to mention...."Walk slow....Talk slow and Think slow"

Great to read such refreshing and helpful support everyone:-)

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Guest_1643]

so can art be mindfulness? Because it takes up your whole focus mentally?

[blondguy]

Hey Sleepy21

Great question!.....just in case PhoebeWings is unavailable....I will try to answer...

Absolutely! Art can be a wonderful way to find some inner peace (mindfulness)....just like gardening and so many other activities that keep us in the present moment......Art is a creative mindset which is gold where mindfulness is concerned

I think the term is 'gentle occupation' When we do so our mind is focused on the 'now'.....not the interfering thoughts that can bring us down...You also mentioned some excellent ways above that also help us too 🙂

I will leave your question with PhoebeWings and Gambit if they are available to provide some additional clarity

Great to have you as part of the forum family Sleepy21

Paul

[Paw Prints]

Hi all,

Isn't it strange how the written word can be seen to mean something different depending on who reads it.

Sleepy 21 wrote -" It seems hear like it's very personal, and people try to be mindful doing things they enjoy....not sure though..."

blondguy (Paul) replied - "Your privacy and well being are paramount to Beyond Blue. Sure the forums are somewhat personal yet when we post it helps so many others.."

I may be barking up the wrong tree, but to me it appears Paul read Sleepy21's comment as being about.... how people post personal thing on the forums.

I read Sleepy21's comment as being about.... how the manner in which we practice mindfulness is a personal choice & usually involves doing things we personally enjoy.

I only mentioned it because I thought this is a good reminder that without being able to see a person it is very easy to read more than one meaning into what we read.

Paws

[blondguy]

Hi Paws

always a bonus to have you post on the forums Paws...You are spot on how the written word can sometimes be misconstrued and thankyou for the heads up too!...You are not barking up the wrong tree at all...your input is always valued

Sleepy21 asked "so can art be mindfulness? Because it takes up your whole focus mentally"? This is an excellent question Paws. Any support you can provide to Sleepy21 or contributing to the thread topic itself would be great

I hope you have been doing well

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Gambit87]

Hi Paul and everyone!

blondguy said:
Your fresh opinion/experience of what 'mindfulness' represents is important Gambit as you have provided clarity to so many....and that includes myself too
just a note....Approx 70% of the 'hits' to the forums are people that choose to 'read only' which is great...so you have helped more people than you know 🙂

Thank you for your kind words Paul. I'm glad to be of some help!

so can art be mindfulness? Because it takes up your whole focus mentally?

Hi Sleepy21

You can absolutely use mindfulness while doing art. I'm sure you think about the look/feel/smell(?)/touch alot of things when your doing art.

When I'm doing photography im always thinking about the various things to try and get the best shot.

[PhoebeWings]

Hi Tayla - Yes the smell of Eucalyptus is gorgeous.

You know, it seems to me that we don’t necessarily need to put aside special time to practice enjoying the simple things of the moment.

Our lives in this world at this time are more complex than possibly any other time in our history. Not so terribly long ago, a much slower and simpler lifestyle was the norm.

No wonder so many are getting ill, sick and feel unable to cope.

Any moment, in fact any single moment you can truly seek the feeling of being ‘grounded’ in your place in the living universe. But the constructs of our complicated lives often are a big barrier. And we just feel overwhelmed.

Yet we’re at our best when we slow right down mentally, you know?

I’m in a good space this month - and now, it all seems so easy. Last month.... not so good. I should have slowed right down. But sometimes, I forget. 😉

[PhoebeWings]

Hi Sleepy21,

Good question re is the focus on Art a form of mindfulness.

Others have made some great comments.

Art and beauty in life, nature etc are all wonderful ways to ground ourselves.

And taking the time to engage our senses.

🌸🌸🌸

[PhoebeWings]

Hi Paul

I’m copying your format of bolding names 👍 🙂

I loved your expression ‘gentle occupation’.

We can give ourselves plentiful moments of gentle occupation.

We all need to recover ourselves from a culture that creates much self hurting through false values.

I’m going to find a poem I like and post it here . 💐