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

[blondguy]

Hey Quirky

Greatly appreciated.....I will have a look see at Monash

You have a great attitude Quirky...we cant be positive all of the time...I get it 🙂

my kindest and thank-you so much

Paul

[Moonstruck]

Just saw that you confuse mindfulness with over thinking?? did I get that right?

No no, not the same at all...."over thinking" has caused me immense problems (I still have to work on it)..whereas mindfulness is just about the complete opposite!.....it has the opposite effects anyway, good ones, peaceful ones...perhaps you are "over thinking" the practice of mindfulness?

(don't over think what I just said will you BlondGuy? and 'avagoodweegend!!

[quirkywords]

Moon,

I think you may have read my comment about a friend commenting on why she isn’t need mindfulness as her mind was already full. it was a throw away comment as I said in my. Post and explained to her what mindfulness is, is about being mindful and focused not having a full mind. So if I confused you I am sorry.

Thanks for your understaning of mindfulness. .

Quirky

[blondguy]

Hi Everyone 🙂

Hey Moon.....I havent overthought what you mentioned.....The term 'Mindfulness' has always left me perplexed as it appears to represent a 'busy' mind. An example would be the Hon Jeff Kennett who started Beyond Blue when he mentioned ' Depression itself is one of the most badly named chronic illnesses that exist' Im only saying that 'Mindfulness' is in the same category to me after several years of therapy..Great post as always and TY 🙂

Hey Quirky....Thank-you for understanding the possible dual meaning that 'Mindfulness' may have to others. I am growing weary of some health professionals using the term without even a brief explanation at to its meaning

Thanks heaps Moon & Quirky 🙂

my kindest always

Paul

[Moonstruck]

No Quirky.....you didn't confuse me...I was replying to BlondGuy who seemed to equate mindfulness with having a "busy mind" ....just trying to explain to him what the concept meant to me..

(as The King said in "The King And I"...........is a puzzlement...!!!!)

[blondguy]

Hi Everybody including New Members that are welcome to post too!

Hey Moon.....Always great to read your posts. Thank-you for clearing that up....I was starting to be very confused...seriously. Thats the problem with the written word....it can be a poor substitute for voice on voice

I do understand the meaning of mindfulness.....I find the term odd...similar to depression....English is one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn. Just my humble opinion that its a confusing and vague noun that leaves some people with the German Shepard head on the angle look....surely we could do better when describing 'being peacefully aware'

It sure is a puzzlement....as per 'The King and I'

You are and have always been a legend Moon x

my kindest always

Paul

[Moonstruck]

"peacefully aware" I like...lovely way of putting it. The concept includes being aware of the "now", fully being in the moment. So many of us (me included) live either in the future (worrying about what will happen) or the past (sadness or regret about what happened before).....the "now" is often not experienced fully.

yes, a legend in my own lunchbox...that's me! x

[quirkywords]

Hi everyone

I have found the discussion between moon and Paul interesting.

Week 5 of week 6 course and I am still trying to understand different concepts. I find that most people giving feedback understand everything and are not confused at times.

When I comment about my confusion etc, people say I need to practice more , try harder etc meaning the problem is with me not the concept of mindfulness. it may well be my problem but surely not everyone will find one concept suitable.

A couple of other people agreed they are finding it hard and they were advised to try harder too. I think mindfulness is a great concept and the idea of concentrating on one thing at a time now called unitasking! , is helpful.

The concept of letting go of past experiences and emotions can be useful but on these forums and when giving talks to community groups, I use my lived experience to help others.

One thing I am trying is to slow down as I am someone who thinks fast, talks fast , and eats fast.

I am continuing with course and am open to new ideas and how I can adapt them to my life.

Thanks Paul for the opportunity to express my thoughts here.

I am interested in anyone’s ideas about the ideas in my post.

Quirky.

[Elizabeth CP]

I think being told try harder implies you are being lazy or not trying hard enough in other words you are making no effort to do the practice required. This is very unhelpful to someone like you who is doing their best struggling but not succeeding, or not understanding what to do. As a teacher if a student was struggling their was no point in saying try harder. Instead I would try to find what the difficulty was and then explain a different way or look at a different way of doing the task. If spmeone is not succeeding they need help to work out what helps them.

My psych tried teaching me some mindfulness but he kept trying different methods to find what worked for me because we are all different.

[Ggrand]

Hello Quirky Paul and everyone..

I hope you are all feeling better then okay...

I don’t think mindfulness does take away memories of the past, although it does help to stop them when they get to overpowering in our thoughts.....I feel well for me that mindfulness is a sort of way to slowing down our over anxious mind and then when we are in a state of mindfulness the brakes come on .stopping our bad memories or panic attack to give our minds some much needed rest....to me mindfulness is a little bit of peace I can achieve when I get over anxious or triggered down with ptsd....

The only way I seem to be able to accomplish being mindful is to first get my eyes fixated onto something and start to study it or dissect it with my eyes..That seems to calm me down enough to start hearing the noises around me. giving me a sense of peace...

I’m not sure but I also think mindfulness can be anything, I mean..drawing, hobbies, listening to music....A thought just popped up into my head just now that mindfulness sounds a lot like grounding ourselves as well..Are they both the same thing with different names?....They both bring us into the here and now...I think I’ve just completely confused myself here...What is the difference between grounding ourselves and mindfulness, are they not the same or am I having brain fog atm... I have confused myself yet again..something I’m really good at doing....

I like to sit outside and look at the cows, trees, and listen to the birds and feel the sun warming my skin...whether it’s mindfulness or grounding myself I do find it peaceful..I’m not sure now which one I’m doing..

kind thoughts,

Grandy