What is Mindfulness
It’s hard to explain what mindfulness is, really it’s an experiential practice and you only really can fully understand it by practicing.
The way I choose to practice mindfulness is to take notice of my present sensory experience without judging it. I can do this simple practice when I walk to work or eat my dinner.
Learning to notice or sensory experience daily is the part of mindfulness where we get the juicy bit, those ‘aha’ moments, the beauty, the simplicity and the joy in living your life fully.
What separates mindfulness practice from meditation is mindfulness of our daily lives. So we are learning to keep noticing our surroundings mindfully. Of course, meditation and mindfulness go hand in hand, as meditation is a huge part of the practice.
mindfulness is so much more than sitting on the mat. It’s choosing to be mindful in each moment. It’s taking a step back to breathe before reacting to someone or something and choosing to respond mindfully.
I am the sort of person that likes to be active. I want to move around, and I have found that mindful walking is my thing! So if you love sitting on the mat, keep doing that!
This blog is for those opposed to that idea who think they must sit trying to stop their thoughts! (You can’t control your thoughts, by the way) You can turn your thoughts down a bit! Thoughts are natural and will always be there.
Trying to control your thoughts is a bit like somebody telling you don’t think about elephants! Straight away, you will most likely think about an elephant!
It’s not sitting on a mat in an uncomfortable position for hours trying not to think! Mindfulness is taking a walk at 6 am, watching the sunrise, listening to the birds, and being immersed in your sensory experience.
I’m lucky as I am taking a break to experience life as a digital nomad. I live on Koh-Phangan, an island in Thailand, and my house is a 15-minute walk from the beach. My current morning routine involves taking a mindful walk to the beach, drinking a coconut, and walking back up the hill home. You can read more about morning routines in my other blog post.
The local beach by Hayley Harrison on October 13th,
I walk and tune into my environment and turn off my phone.
I feel the earth beneath my feet, and I usually walk in the sea or barefoot in the sand and feel the temperature and texture.
I’m in my body which takes me directly out of my head, so I am present. It’s easy in a beautiful place, but you can easily be in the habit of walking around a beautiful place without really taking it in thoroughly.
Essentially you’re missing your life when walking around on autopilot, thinking about whatever is occupying your thoughts. It’s similar to when you drive somewhere and don’t remember the journey afterwards.
Mindfulness is magical when you dive into it. It’s your life, not on autopilot. It’s a connection to yourself and how you feel, and it’s an opportunity every day to be with yourself as you are.
It’s that simple and, for some people, terrifying, but there’s beauty in each moment, even in the pain and sadness we may sometimes feel. With mindfulness, we can go into it deeper or stay where we feel comfortable. It’s like taking your head out of the sand and waking up and living fully. That’s what mindfulness is.