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In this class, we’re taking a different approach than most of my classes — usually, we start right away with what mindfulness is, and what it is not…. but you are going to be getting all of that in your “Choose Your Mindful Adventure” part of the course when you continue in your selected class.

But everything, from mindfulness, to your day, to your LIFE, begins with the breath … so that is where we will begin, briefly, today.

What is Mindfulness?

Very simply, mindfulness is paying attention. Mindfulness is being present. When we practice mindfulness, we can pay attention to a variety of aspects of our experience: thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and the environment around us.

But mindfulness isn’t just any kind of attention — it involves bringing a curiosity to our experience that we don’t always bring to the world as adults. Instead of a “been there, done that” attitude, we meet each moment with genuine curiosity. What is going to happen? What is she going to say? The truth is, you have no idea! With mindfulness, we get rid of “I know how this always goes” and “I know exactly what she’s going to complain about…”, and just open to the unfolding of the moment.

Mindfulness is also about suspending our natural tendency to JUDGE the moment — you’d be surprised how much you are doing this all the time! I like this, I don’t like that, I want this to stay, I want that to go away. While it’s important for your mind to evaluate things and make sure you are safe, your mind can also make you miserable with all the craving and aversion it is generating all day.

Mindfulness also involves an orientation of kindness — especially to ourselves! When we notice the judging mind, we just notice it; we don’t get mad at our mind for doing what it naturally does! When we notice our attention has wandered, we just notice that too…. and gently redirect our attention to the present. When we notice we are sad, we simply sit with sadness and know what sadness feels like, not attempting to force ourselves to feel “happy.” We greet each moment as if it contains exactly what we chose.

And as I always say, THAT IS SIMPLE BUT NOT EASY! So that’s why we practice.

We breathe… knowing that we are breathing. We breathe in, knowing we are breathing in, and then we breathe out, knowing we are breathing out.

In that simple act,we are present — we can only breathe NOW, not in the past or future! In that simple act, we are aware; we are paying attention. In that simple act, we are kind, giving our body nourishing oxygen and giving our mind a needed break. In that simple act, we are nonjudgmental, for we very well can’t get mad at ourselves for needing to breathe!

So let’s breathe….

Watch the introductory video below, and then listen to the guided meditation that follows.

 

You can access a fifteen-minute guided meditation here.

As we consider how mindfulness will help us in the upcoming year(s), remember that being present, still, and nonjudgmental does not mean being passive, silent, or resigned. Far from it! It’s only with the wisdom and discernment that we cultivate with mindfulness, with the clarity that we gain through seeing things as they are, that we can act with intention … and change the world! (more to come on this in the upcoming weeks…)

As we proceed through the course, we will work on bringing a dedicated mindfulness practice into our lives. I strongly encourage you to set aside five minutes each day for sitting in silence and paying attention — noticing your thoughts, your feelings, your reactions, your cravings, your aversions…. just noticing the activity of the mind. This time of seated silence also allows space for the nervous system to settle down, and, paradoxically, by taking time out of our busy day, we actually start to feel like we have a bit more time for everything else that needs to be done. We cultivate focus and gather our energy when we practice!

In the downloads you can access here, you will be asked to track your daily activities over the course of a day (or two or three, if you’d like). This is intended 1) to help you identify the times in your day when you could incorporate a mindfulness practice, and 2) to allow you to see, on paper, how you spend your time. In later lessons this week, you will reflect on your values, and the parts of your life that are most important to you. It’s incredibly powerful to look at how we spend our days, and consider if how we are spending our time is reflective of the things we value; sometimes, we may discover that our goals and our actions are out of alignment.

Okay, breathe….. We’re just getting started. We have a lot to talk about this week, but you have your whole life to do this important work.