Richard Soehl
5. Mindfulness
5. Mindfulness
In essence, reaching higher states of mindfulness or awareness of our bodies and our surroundings is the answer to how to bring balance to our lives. It is the gateway by which we pass that allows us to fully appreciate the interconnectedness of life. Mindfulness is a very simple practice but so powerful it can transform your life! Mindfulness practices will also help us to achieve a life that is more happy and joyous.
With mindfulness, we soon realize that there is only one way to live and that is in the present – in the here and now. It is impossible to live our lives in the past or in the future. It is only in the present that we are able to affect our body, mind, and environment – all the influences in how we live our lives.
The best aspect about mindfulness is that it allows us to realize the happiness already present in our lives. Therefore, you can experience happiness right now! No waiting for it to come to you. It is right there with you every day in every moment. Unfortunately, there are those that are alive but are so distracted by “things” that they are not aware of it. But if you take just a moment to be in the present you soon become aware that you are breathing. You then care able to concentrate on the breath and on your breathing. A breath in and then out – you are alive! Mindfulness helps you realize the miracle of living and can also help you to experience that happiness we sometimes overlook. It can even create happiness and harmony.
In today’s fast-past and sometimes chaotic world it is easy to become lost and distracted. We often check out on life. Preoccupying the mind with fears, worries, regrets, and anger that the mind becomes clouded and not mindful of the present; mindful of being alive. You are physically there but not there as the mind remains stuck in the past or in the future. This prevents you from being present in the moment and living in a deeply mindful way.
To be without distractions is to be mindful or in a state of mindfulness. This is when the mind and body become one and you become truly “grounded.” The mind links with the body and you are fully in the present. It is in this state that you become aware of and can easily identify the many levels of happiness are within you and that surround you in your environment – in the world around you. Happiness, after a while will just come naturally to you. Like a magnet. You will start to attract it.
Mindfulness develops with practice. It should not feel like work or take much effort. Our practice of mindfulness should be an enjoyable pursuit. We simply need to breathe in and then breathe out. Like when we notice the beauty of a rainbow. We just notice its beauty without much effort. We just enjoy it. It is the same with our breath. We become aware of our breath as it occurs and enjoy it, without any effort on our part.
There are other mindfulness practices that can bring us the same levels of happiness and enjoyment. Such as with walking mindfulness, we feel enjoyment with every step taken. We actually come in touch with the marvels of life (within ourselves and around us) as we focus and concentrate with every step. Every step then becomes one of peace and joy!
When practicing mindfulness, you should quiet the talking or the chatter that can occur on the outside as well as on the inside. The inside chatter is the mental stuff, the messaging, that occurs within your mind. True silence is what you seek when you stop talking – both with your mouth and within your mind. The silence you create is not one of repression but one that is a very powerful and elegant silence. This is a healthy silence that can actually heal you.
Another source that can bring us happiness is concentration. Mindfulness energy is made up of the energy found in concentration. When you become aware of an object and can maintain a focused awareness, you are considered to be concentrating on that object. As your mindfulness develops, so does your concentration. They become powerful when developed. That power can help you to fully concentrate allowing your mind to make advances and attain insight. If meditating (concentrating) on an object, you can gain insight into that object and see the nature of that object. If your mindfulness and concentration is developed enough, you can begin to understand the object. You can even meditate on another person and if your mindfulness and concentration are powerful enough, you can start to understand the nature of that person. Mindfulness and concentration are also very beneficial when you meditate on yourself, or on your fears, your anger, your pleasures, or even on your tranquility.
You have the ability to meditate on anything. You, therefore, have the ability to gain insight and understanding of anything using your developed mindfulness and the power of concentration. When the energy of your mindfulness and concentration becomes powerful, your insight will also become powerful freeing you from any fears, upsets, and disappointments. You will start to experience true love, peace, joy, and true happiness in yourself as well as see it in others.
When you fully concentrate on an object, you can see it as it truly is in all its wonder and beauty. It will reveal itself to you. If your mind is clouded by distractions, you cannot fully appreciate the true nature of that object or person. So, it is very important to be mindful of the object or person and to fully concentrate on it/them so that your awareness can reveal the wonders of their nature. This is why mindfulness and concentration are a vital source of our happiness and are powerful enough to transform our lives.
Mindfulness Exercises:
I would like to share just a few mindfulness exercises to help you release the tensions of the day, free the mind from all the chatter, and to develop your mindfulness and meditation practice. I will cover breathing meditation again, but in a slight variation, as it is the most vital (and simplest – to me) of all exercises in developing mindfulness. The other techniques can help develop your mindfulness practice.
Breathing
Breathing mindfully is a very simple practice but is very powerful and can provide amazing results. When you take a breath in, that is the in-breath and when you take a breath out, that is the out-breath. You are to be mindful of the in-breath and out-breath. Being mindful of something is to focus or concentrate on that object. For this exercise, we are being mindful of our breath. Very easy.
The object of your mindfulness is your breath, so just concentrate on it. Breathe in: In-breath. Breathe out: Out-breath. When you concentrate on that the mind chatter will stop. Your thinking or thoughts will pause without effort as your attention focuses on your in-breath. With mindfulness practice you no longer think of the past or the future. You stop thinking about all other distractions because you are focusing your concentration on your breath. Isn’t it wonderful? Not to think for a bit.
Breathing practice can be pretty enjoyable and pleasant as you focus on the in-breath then the out-breath. You can use the focus on breathing as a celebration of life. You know you are alive with each breath. It is a joyful moment that brings happiness and is effortless. Each breath is a miracle of life that touches you deep inside and can be experienced with each in-breath.
Each breath can differ. It really does not matter. What matters is that you enjoy that time of being alive and feeling each breath. Let each in-breath and out-breath be unique – short or long. Relax into your practice with each breath. You are just trying to recognize the in-breath followed by the out-breath. That’s all you need to do. And experience the powerful effects of breathing mindfully.
Mind’s Focus
This exercise goes hand-in-hand with any of the mindfulness practices. It is how you follow or concentrate your mind’s focus during the mindfulness practice. It should be uninterrupted as this is the best way to improve the quality of your concentration.
We will describe concentration when used with breathing mindfully. When you breathe in you concentrate on the in-breath from start to end. If the in-breath lasts 3 seconds, then your focus (mindfulness) lasts three seconds. You do the same with each out-breath. Follow the out-breath all the way from start to end. Let your mind follow it fully and uninterrupted.
Thus, the mind’s focus exercise is the focused attention of your mind on following the in-breath and your out-breath all the way. No matter if they are long or short. Your goal is to follow the in-breath, sustaining your awareness from start to end. Then follow the out-breath, uninterrupted from start to end. If a distraction causes an interruption, then return your focus to the sequence and follow through to the end. You will nurture your concentration and mindfulness by becoming your in-breath and then out-breath. By doing this your breathing will naturally become deeper and slow itself as you relax and become peaceful. This will happen naturally without effort.
Body Awareness
The next exercise is body awareness during mindfulness practice. During the breathing exercise you become aware of your body as you breathe taking mindfulness one step further. We use the energy generated in breathing mindfully to identify your body.
As you breathe you focus your mind – With my in-breath I am aware of my body. With my out-breath I am aware of my body. You recognize that your body is there bringing the mind entirely back to the body – mind and body become one. With your mind and body as one reality, you become anchored in the present; the here and now. You become fully alive. Completely in touch with the life’s wonders found within you and around you.
The quality of each breath will improve with practicing mindfulness breathing. You will experience more peace and harmony as you breathe that will transcend to your body. The benefits of mind-body oneness are tremendous as you gain a stronger clarity of mind as well as body connection.
Relaxation
The intent of this next exercise is to help you relax your body – freeing it from many of the stressors (stress, pain, and tension) you get exposed to each day. With body awareness, you connect with your body becoming aware of the stressors you are feeling. These stressors can build up over time and start to wear you down to the point where you begin to suffer. That is why releasing them through relaxation is a vital exercise to learn.
Relaxation is another form of the breathing exercise. Like I mentioned, breathing is vital to meditation and our mindfulness practice because it is pretty much the cornerstone of mindfulness. It can be done sitting, lying down, and standing. As with the body awareness exercise, you want to become aware of your body with your mind’s focus with the in-breath. On the out-breath you want to imagine that you are releasing all the stress and relaxing your body.
Focus is something like this: In-breath – “I am connected with my body, I feel my body.” Out-breath – “I release all stressors, I feel my muscles relaxing.” Repeat and enjoy the release of tension with each breath.
Relaxation can be done in the car, at work, in the store, or wherever it is safe to take a relaxation break. It is a great practice to share with others such as friends and family. Everyone will benefit and you get to share a wonderfully peaceful moment with them. How great would that be!
Walking
Walking is a great form of exercise for many of us and can provide numerous health benefits. It is also another mindfulness exercise that you can incorporate into your developing meditation practice.
Walking meditation is a way to experience things in the world around you in a different light. It also provides an alternative to sitting still during other mindfulness exercise while still delivering a calming effect to our lives.
The beauty of this exercise is it is physically active and can be done in a small space or on a longer walking path. You just simply need to walk in a mindful way. So, how do you do it? Well, first find an area that you can take at least a few steps like 20 to 30. This is your path – A meditation path. Your path can also be a defined walking path as well in a park or your yard, in the street, or wherever you can walk safely and allows for meditation.
You begin walking meditation by finding a good place to start on your meditation path. Now that you have a starting point, go there and stand in place. You begin by focusing (calming) the mind on what your body is sensing. Center this focus on your entire body and how it feels standing upright. Now let the mind sense your arms as they hang naturally. Lightly clasp your hands in front of you and stretch a little forward. Take in a slow breath while raising your hands above your head (eyes open or closed). Release any tensions you feel by allowing the hands to slowly fall back down to your sides while also slowly breathing out at the same time; the cleansing breath. Now find a spot at ground level about 3 feet in front of you to focus your eyes on when you are walking to decrease visual distractions. When ready start to walk at a normal but gentle pace. If your path is just a few paces then walk those paces to the end of the path. Turn and stand for a few seconds. Take a few breathes while focusing the mind on your body and its sensations. Then walk back to your starting point. Repeat as many times as you wish. This part is up to you. If your walking meditation path is longer then take a standing break as often as you wish to focus the mind on your body and its sensations until you reach the other end of the path. Turn and walk back to the starting point.
While you are walking, direct your mind to focus on your feet. Feel the sensation of each foot as it touches the ground and feel the current of energy as it flows up your body. The meditation is to maintain your attention, the focus of the mind, on the feet as they touch the ground, the spaces between each step, and your body’s sensations when you stop (during the standing break) and when you start to walk again.
Adjust your pace to match your mind-set. Steady and gentle when your mind is impatient and restless, a little more energetic when feeling drowsy or unsettled. As we already know, the mind has a tendency to wander. So, be patient with yourself and simply refocus your mind and begin again. At the end of the path or when taking the standing break, we stop to allow ourselves to breathe in and then out. Release any tension, restlessness, worry, racing or negative thoughts. Allow yourself to relax and feel calmness enter your body. This helps to fade out the inner dialogue or distractions. We refresh our minds and give it permission to become calm at its own rate. The standing periods can be extended to meet your own relaxation needs. Then begin the walking meditation path again.
How does walking meditation help in our practice? Once you try it you can experience the answer to this question. It brings a rejuvenating energy and fluidity into your mindfulness practice. As we walk and stand we release negative thoughts and change our moods. We replace it with a sense of calmness and ease that allows our minds to be more naturally open and clear. We become more in tune with our mind, our bodies, and the environment around us. And you might even feel lighter on your feet.
The purpose of our lives is to be happy – 14th Dalai Lama
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from our own actions – 14th Dalai Lama