Our culture has been inundated with horrific symptoms of lack of mental ease: eating disorders, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorders. Even the most well-adjusted of us has less than skillful ways of soothing our ragged mental states. Mindfulness lessens the wretchedness of discursive thoughts—fixations on errors of the past or threats of the future. We become less obsessed with our own lives and more aware of the world around us.
The practice of mindfulness has been shown to provide great improvement in daily life, including:
Greater focus
Wiser choices
Clearer cognition
Quicker problem solving
Improved attitudes
Faster resolution
The story of the Hatfields and the McCoys might have had a better outcome if either family had adopted mindfulness! For sure, mindfulness turns a boring task into an adventure. Even getting caught in traffic or having to wait for an appointment is experienced differently as you practice mindfulness.
According to Psychology Today:
The great Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Pema Chödrön (a chronic illness sufferer herself), describes this as, “Letting the world speak for itself.” When I practice mindfulness outside of meditation, I often use this phrase as a sort of mantra: “Let the world speak for itself,” I silently say. The world answers with the full array of life’s experiences—the squawking of a scrub jay, the breeze in my face, the sadness in a child’s cry, the sight of a young couple in love.
This week, let your mindfulness open your heart to the richness in the world around you. If you have discovered a need for more information, please let me know. There are many wonderful starter practices that can become a regular part of your workplace and home.
This health tip originally appeared online at https://scs-matters.com/
Mindfulness-Mental-Benefits/. Send email or call or text to schedule a private session with Debra.
Tips from 5 April 2010 to 6 August 2012 are here: Archived Tips
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Rev.Debra Basham
Voice or text: (269) 921-2217 Email: debra@scs-matters.com https://scs-matters.com http://ImagineHealing.info http://SurgicalSupport.info Small Changes … Infinite Results™
“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ~Mother Teresa |