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

[quirkywords]

Missep

i too think about what I need to do next. I call it planning but I guess I miss out on being in the present.

sleepy I agree noticing you do it is a good habit, I just did it.

[smallwolf]

@Missep - not sure how long you have been trying it out. I found a need to do it with someone talking to me (like a guide meditation) otherwise I would get easily distracted. With that said... if you do get distracted that is OK. You can only do the best you can and that is all that matters. You do not have to do it perfectly.

[Jstar49]

Hi all,

I think we meditate on our less positive thoughts becos it’s a habit! And habits are hard to break. Sometimes I can feel justified in this type of thoughts too. I am averse to bring a Pollyanna, just for the sake of it! If you know what I mean.
Buuuttt- it can be a lovely break, almost a holiday, to choose to stop thinking those negative, self punishing thoughts, step to the side and just ..... think differently. What helps me is to ID what it is that I like about someone else and then imagine that they are thinking my thoughts for me. A different way of being your own best friend, I guess.

I guess it’s all pretty normal, or else we would all be enlightened beings!

cheers,

J*

[missep123]

Hi all!

I think it's so awesome that we are all supporting each other through this.

I tried practicing mindfulness today and my mind wasn't racing as it usually would to the next plan. I liked this feeling I hope that I can continue trying to hold on to this!

[Ggrand]

Hello everyone..

missep, I am so pleased to hear that you are practicing mindfulness...and you liked how it made you feel....That’s awesome....The more we practice the more easier it is to calm our body and slow down those racing thoughts....

Well done..I hope you continue to get that feeling you liked..more and more...

My kind thoughts everyone..

Grandy..

[smallwolf]

just a small side excursion... Listening to a podcast today about the psychological benefits of walking. I won't go into the details but the interesting part was that it also turned into a guided meditation of a sort that started on your breath, then feet, legs hips and upper body. Noticing the feeling but not be judgemental. Observing. Feeling. Noticing. Smelling. Hearing. It did not really matter whether you are in a forest or concrete jungle.

[missep123]

Thank you for your kind words Grandy!

Smallwolf- that is a really great idea. I tend to get distracted or listen to my music so I will try to take some walks where I will focus on really experiencing (observing, feeling, smelling). Thank you for posting that!

[quirkywords]

In hi I wonder if anyone uses mindulness so they can cope with lockdown.

I find neighbours shouting ,

people on the radio seem stressed.

so I need to de-stress.

Any ideas using mindfulness.

[smallwolf]

Hi Q,

Don't know if this helps... not sure what you listen to on the radio but you could swap the radio for podcasts. That will only help you to avoid listening the stressful stuff on the radio. To be honest I don't listen to the radio and watch very little TV. I have found TV "news" repetitive and gives worst case scenarios. Radio.... ???? And headphones can get rid of external noises.

Podcasts I listen to are things like "Hidden Brain" or "How to fail" and I can listen to these while doing other things. These might not be the mindful related things to listen to but work for me.

[Guest9337]

I practice by writing so...

Mindfulness might be the following...

My mindfulness scale is 1 to 10.

If I notice I am threatened by a large angry man 1 metre away from me who is shouting at me, then I am mindful10. Such that mindful10 is very easy to notice!

If I notice I am threatened by a small babies loud voice whilst in the shopping centre, I am mindful5. Such that I might be under real threat or not when I react startled to the noise.

If after being startled by a babies loud voice, I regulate myself back to calm and controlled, then I am mindful10.

If I notice I am not threatened by a quiet gentle person, then I am mindful5. Because a quiet gentle person has hurt me before, but many quiet gentle persons have been nice to me before.

If I notice I am not threatened by a normal tone of voice, then I am mindful8, because I consider normal tone of voice the optimal tone of voice for most situations.

Then after writing those down, reflecting along the way, I pause and reassess rationally and emotionally.