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

[Paw Prints]

Moon,

Nothing to apologise for, you haven't been 'off topic'. It's a mindfulness app, & you have given us all a heads-up that these things are not always simple to use.

Hope you're feeling brighter today

Paw Prints

[blondguy]

Hi Everyone! New members are more than welcome to post too!

Hey Moon...How did you go with enabling the app? You cant screw up a 'smart' phone.....No worries

Hey Quirky....thank-you for jumping in (again) and helping out Moon....I agree with you with passwords...grrrr

Hey Paw Prints....you are spot on....Moon is never 'off topic' especially when she is doing everything she can to activate her app...Love your profile pic Paw 🙂

you are all amazing people and thanks heaps

my kind thoughts

Paul

[IreneM]

HI all

I have been following this thread for awhile now and I have never understood half of what has been said. But now that I am doing a Wellness course it makes a lot more sense, and I am now only touching the surface of it!

I will certainly have a look at reachout.com as suggested.

Think it is enough work trying to carry out what my therapist is telling me. So I will give the Smiling app a break for now. I did once use another Happiness app and found that helpful when I was at my worst.

Regards

I.

[quirkywords]

Irene M

th aks for your post and sharing your insights. I think when you do a course some things start to make sense .

Even though I struggled with an online mindfulness course I am now slowly u derstanding abit.

What I have gained from this thread is to try one new thing at a time and adapt it to your own needs.

i am not good with apps but I have heard some fi d the smiling one useful.

I am glad you have a plan and things are working for you.

Quirky

[Moonstruck]

Hey BlondGuy.....I downloaded the app OK it seems. And opening an account with password etc doesn't mean it'll cost money...yeah yeah I realise that now I think.

Promised myself I would do a session tonight, the only thing that has been stopping me is I was scared of my new phone. Still am a bit, but as Florence Scovell Shinn wrote

"I went to meet the Lion on the road and discovered it was an Airedale". I've done similar in the past, remembering her quaint old words....confronted the "wild animals " face to face only to find out they were harmless puppies.

(Hope this isn't too abstract for you BlondGuy.)

[IreneM]

Hi all

It was mentioned at the start of this thread: "if mindfulness has helped you, how?"

One definition of mindfulness is: "Being attentive, or paying attention to, or (as I prefer it) being conscious of what your mind is saying right now (in the present)."

One way to do this as many call it is to listen to your body as you should with your mind. But how can you do that? Listen to what you say to yourself under your breath or in your sleep (even moreso, when you are emotional or upset).

I discovered that I was saying certain things to myself that are so self-defeating and unrealistic. One Example is: "people don't like me anymore."

To challenge it:

Yes, there have been many people who haven't liked me, or if they do, they just don't show it. Many of you on this forum like me. When I have been to these conferences overseas and locally my input has been valued. When I have volunteered for BB twice this week I was extremely valued. So how can people not like me?

But you all get the gist. So I am replacing it with something like:

"People may not like what I do or say at all times but there are many who do value me for who I am and what I do." If I had to shorten it for when I am in an emotional moment, "People appreciate me, just not everyone."

So I am starting to pat myself on the back a bit more and think about my Values.

I.

[IsaJett]

To me mindfulness is being self aware of what is happening with me ...as I move along the day ...my moods ...my thought process...specifically if I am being my own best friend ...or my worst enemy .

I believe it is a matter of choice ...when our minds can look towards the negative side (worst enemy talking in our head )of things or the positive (best friend talking )

I know I personally prefer to be my own best friend ...lol

So mindfulness in short is being a best friend to myself .

[Nurse_Jenn]

Hi all,

I am really enjoying reading this thread as it is giving more understanding to my own mindfulness experience and practice. I often encourage people to learn about mindfulness as I feel that most people could benefit from the practice in some small way. I mean I spend more time grooming my hair or brushing my teeth than taking care of my brain!

What mindfulness means to me personally is the ability to let your thoughts walk through your mind without stopping. They could be irrational or irrelevant or ridiculous thoughts but they just keep moving and while they are walking across my brain, I just allow them to keep going with out attaching an emotion (most often worry or fear) to the thoughts.

I often visual my thinking as one of those children's projectors - the ones where images are projected on the wall and go round and round. I try to imagine my thoughts as just moving (not in a circular way ) and they just go off the end of my mind and not come back.

I have started using the Smiling Mind app recently to learn more about the practice and will continue to enjoy reading this thread!

Thanks everyone!

[quirkywords]

thanks Nurse Jenn,

i found your comment very interesting.

Alas my thoughts want to stop for a chat and never want to be hurried. So I have to ignore them. They are very social.

I like reading others analogies of how they think about mindfulness.

Thanks for your post. .

Quirky

[Guest_8790]

what is mindfulness ?
try reading mindfulness by
Gill Hasson. can be found in office works. covers everything you need to know plus exercises to get you motivated. I have the book and is very easy to understand and useful.
rusty