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_1055]

Hi again quirky, I am unsure if you will read this .

But I have an apple here now, I m now causally looking at the colour of it. No drama, no pressure, just looking. Okay it has pinky and red colours. And sort of patches of green on the skin as well. It also has little dots scattered over the skin. It also feels cold in my hand , because it just came out of the fridge. It looks like a yummy fresh one . So I just took a bite, as I bit into it, I heard that crunch and crisp sound. Still eating it. Hearing the crunch sound still. And feeling juice on my lips. Wow this is really a delicious apple, it tastes quite sweet. Oh yum...yum...yum. Looking down at it to make sure I don't bite into like the stem part, I see all the bite marks in the white/ greeny insides. I just smelt it, reminding me of the scent at an apple pie baking in the oven.

I have know finished the apple, it was a pink lady one. Not sure if that helps you quirky, but it might. No drama, or pressure. And do you like apples?

Shell xx

[quirkywords]

Shell

Thanks for your post . It was helpful.

The thing is I do that all the time when I concentrate on an apple. Or a book, or in the shower concentrate on the hot water, the drips the lathering.

My point is why do we call it mindfulness when it is nothing new.

Why is everyone putting pressure on people to do what is really old fashioned concentration and meditation? Why are people making money by writing books and making classes over something that is simple that others make complex?

Do you think because of social media, phones and all the electronic distractions people decided we needed to call a simple process Mindfulness and make money from it? Just a thought. Maybe I am cynical.

I appreciate the time and thought you put into my reply.

Quirky

[Guest_1055]

Yeah quirky, I don't know why they seem to make it more complicated then it is. It makes no sense to me at all.

As to my other reply to you regarding the apple....well I really enjoyed writing that post to you. And it helped me to eat something healthy...So yeah...yeah

Shell xx

[quirkywords]

Thanks shell

I didnt mean to sound cynical as I know I need to slow down and focus at times. When I feel under pressure that I am not doing something the right way it can make me feel insecure or cynical.

I appreciate you and everyone on this thread for communicating clearly about mindfulness.

Thanks again for this thread.

Quirky

[blondguy]

Hey Quirky

You have done just fine with your thoughts on Mindfulness. You make perfect sense. This is why I set up the thread initially so we can all learn, including myself.

I was trained with the power of acceptance (accepting our thoughts and staying in the moment) which is similar to what Mr Walker and Starwolf have written about.

Thanks Quirky for the great posts. My kind thoughts. Paul

[Airies]

Mindfullness introduced to it with a course that I'm doing and we do an Mindfullness session as an introduction. It's something we can do daily.

Bringing ones complete attention to the present experience on a moment to moment basis

Paying attention in a particular way:on purpose , in the present moment and non judgemental ly.

Awreness of present experience with acceptance . Mindfullness has its origins in Buddhism. For over 2500 years , it has been used to reduce suffering and enhance well-being. It's a translation of the Pali word sati which means attention awareness and remembering. In mindfulness we are aware what is present ,attending to what is present and remembering to stay present.

Mindfulness: our attention is focused on the present moment .We are not caught up in our thoughts . We are not struggling with, hiding from,or attempting to avoid our present reality. We are opening ourselves fully to our experience of the present moment . It is where we are fully aware of our thoughts,emotions, physical sensations and actions in the present moment without judging or criticising our experience or ourselves.

Mindlessness: we are so wrapped up in our thoughts ne feelings that we are not aware of where we are, what we are doing, or what is currently happening.

just a snapshot of a handout given to me in the early days. I try and practice when I can and one I do is breathing. I find it helpful. I agree some apps are confusing or make it complicated. Being mindful of my breath works for me most of the time. Like many things Mindfullness takes practice. It's something I try and do regurarly as I can. I've downloaded a number of apps. Many that I've tried, Many haven't worked. I hope you find something that works for you. I was introduced to it via my DBT course. Wouldn't it be great if they introduced into primary school.

cheers Len

[quirkywords]

Paul

Thank you.

Acceptance is another concept I have problems with but may leave my questions for another thread.

Quirky

[gld]

Hi blondguy and others,

Have started to work on mindfulness.

I have started by breathing in slowly for six, hold for two and out for eight paying attention to my focus on solely this. Just sitting and listening to what sounds are around me where i sit for five minutes or so. I also take breaths and smell the smells that are around with my eyes closed for five minutes. Focusing on one thing at a time, even what i see.

Some other things i am working on with it is doing my best not to carry over what has happened yesterday or guessing what is going to happen tomorrow or second guess myself. As well as having a thought, acknowledge it, question it and let it go. This is harder to grasp for me.

Love to know if i am working towards the correct practice.

Gen

[blondguy]

Hey HSP......thanks for your positive post about Mindfulness and your success with your method above

HSP mentioned "the bottom line is that the mind is an organ that must be exercised in order for it to be healthy"

Thanks Len for the great post and clearing the air on Mindfulness

Len mentioned "Wouldn't it be great if they introduced it into primary school" (sic Mindfulness)

Quirky....no worries at all. These terms can be somewhat daunting....(I remember) You are a gem to have posted your thoughts on here and thankyou heaps.

Hey Gen...really appreciate you posting your experience with mindfulness....sounds like you have a grip on it...:-)

Gen Mentioned "Some other things i am working on with it is doing my best not to carry
over what has happened yesterday or guessing what is going to happen tomorrow or second guess myself" Spot On!

Just a reference for anyone that is interested in a basic form of mindfulness.....'Genuine and Calm Acceptance' (of anxiety...depression) is covered in;

'Self Help for your Nerves' by Dr Claire Weekes. She is the only psychiatrist that I know of that wrote about her anxiety attacks/thoughts and using 'acceptance' as a method to render the anxiety powerless. Its written in plain english especially for people like me that didnt have the patience to read anything let alone a small paperback.

Thanks so much everyone for the great help you have provided to so many whether you do or dont have a clue 🙂 70% of the hits that Beyond Blue get are readers only which is fine of course. The other 30% choose to post.

You have helped more people than you know....My Kind thoughts...Paul

[CMF]

Hi all,

Quirky said 'My point is why do we call it mindfulness when it is nothing new....Do you think because of social media, phones and all the electronic distractions people decided we needed to call a simple process Mindfulness and make money from it? '

Great question! It could be a money making exercise but I think With so many people having their heads buried in phones, technology, social media etc we have forgotten how to observe and appreciate the simple things in life. We are too busy rushing around, checking social media for updates and being upset or offended by others' posts perhaps (I can be guilty of this too but have cut back). People walking and driving around talking on their phones or looking at their phones and not where they are going or what they are doing. We are losing a sense of what is around us. Why can't people sit on a tram or train and observe their surroundings instead of being on their phones? Why can't we sit in a coffee shop and watch the world go by instead of checking our phones? Why can't we take our kids to a park and enjoy nature instead of having to take photos and post on social media?

We need to teach people get back to reality and what is around us, not what we see through/on our phones. We have forgotten how to do this and the youth of today may not even know how to do it.

Just my thoughts 🙂