“Life is available only in the present moment. If you abandon the present moment you cannot live the moments of your daily life deeply.” Thich Nhat Hanh
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” Buddha
“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry – all forms of fear – are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.” Eckhart Tolle
Learning to tune into the present moment may be one of the single most important skills you learn in your life. Staying connected and fully aware in the present allows you to disconnect from the anxiety about what may go wrong tomorrow and detach from yesterday’s memories of fear, pain, or sadness. The way to accomplish this highly acute present moment awareness is through the practice of mindfulness.
What is mindfulness? It is the ability and act of consciously focusing your mind in the present moment, being aware of where you are and what you are doing, without any judgment or any reaction of what is going on around you.
Why be mindful? Mindfulness practices can help us to regulate emotions, decrease stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also improve social skills, boost creativity, foster a greater appreciation for the world around us, and help us focus our attention. As we become more present and engaged in our own lives, our minds become equipped to make better decisions in all areas of life.
According to Psychology Today, those who practice mindfulness receive a whole host of benefits. One excerpt reads:
“Mindfulness reduces stress, boosts immune functioning, reduces chronic pain, lowers blood pressure, and helps patients cope with cancer. By alleviating stress, spending a few minutes a day actively focusing on living in the moment reduces the risk of heart disease. Mindfulness may even slow the progression of HIV.”
It doesn’t stop there:
“Mindful people are happier, more exuberant, more empathetic, and more secure. They have higher self-esteem and are more accepting of their own weaknesses. Anchoring awareness in the here and now reduces the kinds of impulsive and reactivity that underlie depression, binge eating, and attention problems. Mindful people can hear negative feedback without feeling threatened. They fight less with their romantic partners and are more accommodating and less defensive. As a result, mindful couples have more satisfying relationships.”
How can we be mindful? Much like a child who is learning to ride a bicycle for the first time, being mindful of the present moment is a skill which must be learned and practiced.
You can start by scheduling out little chunks of your day to be completely dedicated to mindfulness – the constant training of the mind in this way will get you into a habit that will soon extend far beyond the short session. So to start,
- Get in a comfortable position, either seated on the ground, or in a chair, or wherever you find it most easy to relax.
- Close your eyes.
- Focus on your breath – follow your breath as it goes in and out, in and out
- Be aware of your wandering mind – your mind is going to have lots of thoughts popping up in this silence and it will wander; when you notice this, no matter how long it may take you, simply regain the focus on your breath.
- Don’t judge your thoughts – when your mind wanders, don’t get mad or try to “shoo” your thoughts away, just return back to your breath.
That’s it. Take a seat. Focus on your breath. When your mind wanders, return.
This simple practice will bring about a whole new awareness and clarity to your life.
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