Expressing Peace. Mindfulness. 70.
Mindfulness
Jon Kabat-Zinn says, mindfulness “wakes us up to the fact that our lives unfold only in moments.” He then defines mindfulness as the awareness that comes when we pay attention—on purpose—in the present moment, while suspending judgment.
I finally understand that being mindful is not having a mind full, rather it is being mindful (attentive, conscious, ultra-aware) of the here and now.
It takes practice. At least, it’s taken me practice. Still does.
Meditation is most frequently recommended to increase one’s mindfulness. That suggests it may be the best approach. There are these easy-to-follow steps to meditation:
- Turn off all distractions.
- Sit comfortably, your weight evenly distributed either in your chair or sitting on your crossed legs.
- Sit with good posture, without holding your back rigid.
- Close your eyes.
- Breathe in slowly, fully, expand your abdomen. Hold your breath. Exhale fully, collapse your belly.
Those steps set the stage. Pay attention to your breath: the steady inflow of air, the silent pause as you hold it in, the steady and complete release of air.
Thoughts will interrupt your breath-focus. Inevitably. They should; if they didn’t, mindfulness wouldn’t matter so much. You enhance your mindfulness when you accept each interruption without any self-blame and return your attention to your breathing.
Remember mindfulness is “the awareness that comes when we pay attention—on purpose—in the present moment, while suspending judgment”. Letting those thoughts go and returning to breath-focus becomes easier and easier, you become more mindful. You are practicing, perfecting your mindfulness.
Good Friend, GOD,
the ability to settle on the present moment
offers both power and peace.
Seeing the candle flicker and having no thought but that
frees and eases my awareness.
Listening to the silence in my mind, knowing
that is meant to be its sound,
opens my heart with gratitude for all that is.
I turn mindful intention
to the present moment of your Presence
filling me with Good
and Peace;
my Self lets go of everything
but here and now.
Thank you, Good Friend.
Amen. Amen.
Enjoy Peace. Express Peace.
In: Commitment, Inner Peace, Intention, meditation, Peace, Peacefulness, Prayer · Tagged with: meditation, Peace, Prayer, praying
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