Mindfulness can change your life
It’s extremely difficult to be present and in the moment. Do you ever find yourself lost in a ruminating mind, continually wanting to redo mistakes from the past and worried about the future? Have you ever gone from A to B with no recollection of how you got there?
Well, be kind to yourself, the perfect person doesn’t exist. Everyone faces challenges, is worried and has suffered. Everyone; no matter where they come from, or where they are in life.
Meditation used to terrify me. The idea that I needed to clear my mind, let go of problems, and sit in silence provoked dread and horror in me. A teacher saying ‘clear your mind’ would send my mind ruminating with thoughts. If someone asked me to ‘clear your mind now’, I couldn’t.
Mindfulness is the opposite; it is about training your attention on a purpose. This will improve the quality of your life and its relationship to your thoughts.
A little history
Mindfulness is secular. It is not based on any religious beliefs or principles; however, it’s backed by thousands of years of ancient wisdom.
In the 1970’s Jon Kabatt-Zinn started using his knowledge in Zen meditation to create a Mindfulness Stress Reduction Program at his clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre.
The program was created to help patients suffering from a whole range of physical and mental health programs. He noticed people often stress about what might happen in the future or what has happened in the past.
Kabatt-Zinn used his knowledge of eastern meditation techniques to help people focus their attention to the present moment. Kabat -Zinn undertook a great amount of work ‘to frame their work in a universal, wholly mainstream, and in a secular way… the essence of mindfulness is in fact universal.’
Mindfulness is about practice, rather than merely theory.
Only through practice can you observe your mind deeply. Kabatt Zinn translated the ancient wisdom he found to make it understandable for the western world and help us reduce our own suffering.
This internal suffering is often caused by unhelpful thinking, expectations, and behaviours.
Research on Mindfulness is growing at a rapid rate. Today it is being used in medicine, psychology, education, sport, business and leadership. It merges empirical science and Buddhist meditative practice with growing evidence for its beneficial effects.
