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

[ecomama]

Hey peeps

Just popped in to tell you about what my Counsellor asked me to do last week when I was feeling awfully depressed.

I'd been using the 5 thing strategy to reduce anxiety levels when going through Court hearings etc....

Well she asked me to EXPAND on the 5 things.

Do each one MINDFULLY. One or two per day. We practiced one together which was funny and informative!

I kept on with it every day and think it really helped beat the "low" funk I was in.
Plus doing individualised Exposure Therapy on the PTSD triggers. Yep I had it hapnin' last week!
A real challenge but I've recovered from depression before so she reminded me I can do it again.

Gratefully she was correct.

Listening mindfully to the frogs croaking in my back yard before I hit the sack tonight.
Little darlings.

EMxxxx

[Moonstruck]

Hi there....to me, meditation is emptying your mind..whereas mindfulness is filling your mind, your attention 100% on one thing or scene...concentrating on every aspect of that..whereas meditation is concentrating...or trying to concentrate ..on your breath alone...nothing else. Hope I explained that clearly.

Peace to you...Moon S

[Jstar49]

Hi Moonstruck,

I think thats why ppl can get very put off meditation practice. Because it's just not possible to try and force our mind to think of nothing. The practice of using one's breath to focus on, or one's walking, or listening and focusing on the sounds you can hear, or a mantra, are all ways to take attention away from the endless thinking that is part of being human. Gives us something else to observe, and if we get distracted by our thoughts, then we can observe this distraction, and gently return our attention back to the breath.

A meditation teacher I has once compared our minds to a river, made cloudy and turbulent by rain and being churned up. As we sat and observed our mind/river, it became slowly more clear, more smooth, more peaceful. I'm sure that at the time I was expecting it to happen by the end of the session, and was disappointed by my lack of progress! Over time though, observing my breath has allowed me more peacefulness, and more awareness of my inner life.

Cheers,

J*

[smallwolf]

I would point out that mindfulness does not have to be filling your mind.

It can be a leave on the stream type exercise where you let your thoughts (good or bad) come and go and put them onto leaves that float down the stream. The thought are "looked at" with curiosity or without judgement.

[quirkywords]

Thanks everyone. I like the way each

Eason has a different take on mindfulness well not always that different, but I think it means we can adapt it to suit our own needs. Maybe what I do isn’t the mindfulness of others but it dies help me.

[clown_of_mine]

mindfulness to me means observing the external world whilst trying to resist forming judgements, to simply allow things to be, so my internal world remains unaffected and relaxed???

And it sounds so ABC easy yet the practice is constantly constant.

[blondguy]

Hi clown of mine and thankyou for being a part of the discussion too! (cute pooch too!)

I wrote this thread topic a while ago yet Mindfulness is still a challenge for me yet I am learning and appreciate the super helpful input especially from new contributors like yourself! Thankyou for sharing your valued experience

My counselling involved using calm and gentle occupation to experience some peace of mind..yet I am welcome to learn new methods re Mindfulness 🙂

Thankyou Tim...Quirky...Jstar49...Moon..The Bionic Woman (em) ...mb20lover...Grandy x for helping out too

my kind thoughts

Paul

[Jstar49]

Hi clown of mine,

I like the point that you make, and would add that what we resist grows. At least, that is the theory, and my experience also. But feel free to test it out, I would be interested in your experience.

So, the meditative approach is to notice, or observe, the judgement, or whatever it is. By accepting it, and not fighting it, we enable it to continue, as smallwolf has illustrated, as if it's a leaf on the stream. that way it, the thought, can pass on by, not disturbing our equilibrium more than necessary. Often by observing, the judgement falls away over time.

I also consider it simple in concept, and difficult in execution. Only by practicing can that process of observation become easier.

Cheers,

J*

[clown_of_mine]

Hi Jstar - I totally agree that what ever we practice becomes permanent

and thanks blondguy your thread is thoughtfully cool

[quirkywords]

Jstar your words are so helpful.

“I also consider it simple in concept, and difficult in execution. Only by practicing can that process of observation become easier.”

So true simple in concept and difficult in execution. That applies to many things.