I hope this finds you doing well. It’s been a while since I wrote anything longer. I hope you can stay with me until the end of this piece. That could depend on my writing capability, but also on your ability to focus (read more to find out…) 😉
Lately, I’ve made a few videos about mindfulness that I put on my social media. I never thought I would have the courage to do that, but I jumped over that self-imposed obstacle. Et voilà.
As you may know, I am passionate about mindfulness. But why?
There are many reasons, and I won’t go into those now. You can read more on other blog posts. Right now, I want to explore more in detail what it is. To explain what Mindfulness is -is not so simple.
Most mindfulness teachers define mindfulness as John Kabat-Zinn does: “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” And this is when we realize how important it is to use the right words. That is something I often feel like I need to work on -especially when I am speaking.
Each of the words in the definition is important. Sometimes, he has added “with kindness”. I like that. In any case, however you define it, it still may not really mean anything to you if you have never experienced it. And this is why experiencing mindfulness ourselves is so important if we want to understand it.
The best way to experience a mindfulness practice is by being guided by a professional who has hours, weeks or, preferably, years of practice. This is mainly due to the fact that this guide has experienced the different aspects and benefits of a regular practice. It’s a different experience for all since we are all different, but I think everyone can benefit.
Trying to simplify it, we can speak of three main parts to Mindfulness with a capital M. There are 3 core pillars. The first is meditation. The second is compassion. The third is community. They go hand in hand. All are so important for our wellbeing. But we must begin with the first.
1. Mindfulness Meditation -it is through practicing mindfulness meditation that we can access a calm state of mind. This is the foundation. By practicing with kindness and intention, our attention (or concentration) becomes stronger. And if you don’t agree with me that most of us have decreased focus since the invention of social media, then you are one of the lucky ones! While we practice, we notice that we are training our mind.
By bringing our attention back to our breath or a sensation moment by moment, we are simply training our awareness. Awareness of the present moment. That is where life is. We no longer ruminate on the past or project ourselves into an imaginary future.Those are the mind states that can create anxiety or worse. Instead, we can find pure joy, fascination and love for this moment. At the same time, automatically, our nervous system calms down. We slow down the breath and this reduces stress. If you have ever been “in the zone” while creating art or doing sports or any other activity where you are so focused on what you are actually doing, then you are practicing mindfulness. It’s not meditation, but it’s meditative. That feels absolutely awesome. Agree?
One of the most important words in the definition is ‘non-judgmentally’. If we judge or criticize ourselves for not being able to meditate (which you might in the beginning, since it is not so easy) then we will just make it harder. So it’s crucial to be accepting, curious and open-minded. In time, you will notice that you are less harsh on yourself and that you have a more clear mind. You will be able to experience life inside and outside of yourself with more kindness and clarity. That’s powerful. But don’t just take my word for it. I know for a fact that it has an effect on the people around us too.
We don’t meditate to change ourselves. It does change us, little by little, but only because we finally notice who we are and we become more accepting and loving toward ourselves and others.
2. So that brings us to the second pillar: compassion.
Self-compassion comes first. When we practice mindfulness with kindness and without judgment, then we have compassion for ourselves. Once you have practiced that and accepted yourself fully, then you will extend compassion to those around you too.
In workshops, we often guide the participants using Metta Meditation, also called Loving Kindness meditation. It’s an ancient Buddhist practice that cultivates goodwill and kindness toward ourselves and all beings. It’s powerful.
I will never forget the first time I experienced it, during my friend Jennifer Frye’s yoga retreat. I had recently lost my dad. This meditation really helped me in my grieving journey. In any case, I believe we could all benefit from a bit more compassion in this world. Don’t you?
3. And so, we come to the third pillar: community.
There is clear evidence that our wellbeing is strongly influenced by the people we surround ourselves with. Nowadays, unfortunately, many people are feeling lonely. How crazy is that? Humans are meant to connect with other humans! Yes, so we connect via social media, but that is not the same. We need communities that are supportive and kind. By belonging to communities that support us, inspire us and allow us to grow, we help to develop a better society and this can lead to a better world.
How was that? Was I able to communicate why I am passionate about mindfulness and to some extent explain what it is? I promise that it was all my own writing. I don’t like using IA to write longer texts. Because I love the creative practice of writing.
So, let me know what you think. I love hearing your feedback!
We well. Take care of yourself and those you love.
Annika
