Monday – Mindfulness

8.3.21, Monday  – Mindfulness

On this International Women’s Day, I think about all the women in my life. So many wonderful women. But since it’s Monday, I choose to write about…Mmmm – Mindfulness.

Maybe it’s one of those trendy words, Mindfulness, but I don’t think so. It’s just a word. It’s what you do with it that’s important. It’s awareness. How often are we actually mindful or aware during a day? We’re often on autopilot, no? Here’s an experiment for you: wash your hands mindfully. 

Well, maybe you have already learned to do this thanks to the attention this simple but important act has been given since a year ago. But try to really feel every sensation in your hands while they move under the water and get caressed by the soap on your skin. Pay attention to it. And while you start the mindful handwashing, feel how your body relaxes. The body relaxes because the mind is focused on what you are doing right now. Mindfulness is a practice. If we get into a habit of practicing moments of mindfulness or awareness, we can even notice our emotions or thoughts as they arise. 

Mindfulness gives space around our emotions. Think about what that means. Space also means time before a reaction. An emotion is an information that arrives in our body, it rests there, and it passes. If we don’t react to it. This is difficult and it takes practice. But we do want to pay attention to those emotions. Anyway, it’s really hard to explain until you’ve experienced it yourself. My favorite mindfulness practice is one that I do out in nature. Listening mindfully to nature. My whole body relaxes if I focus my attention on the birdsongs. It’s so relaxing. That’s bliss. 

On this International Women’s Day, I am grateful to my friend Jennifer (of https://www.wellbalanced.me) who first introduced me to mindfulness through her yoga practice. I had no idea what she was talking about all those years ago when she invited us to pay attention to sensations in our feet. Now I get it.

Oh there are so many other women I can mention today on this special day, but then I’d write a book! What is something special a woman in your life has taught you? Be well, dear friends and cherish those special mindful moments in your day.