“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
– Buddha
Mindfulness has taken up the world by storm in these recent years, by becoming an effective way to manage our emotions and our mental health. Mindfulness is a direct word. It proposes that the brain is completely attentive towards what’s going on, to what exactly you’re doing, to the space you’re traveling through. Our brain takes off, we create some distance between our body, and really before long turn we’re fascinated over the top contemplations about something that simply occurred or worrying about what’s to come. Furthermore, that keeps us on the edge. In simpler words mindfulness is the ability to be fully present, being aware of what we are, what exactly we are doing and not getting overwhelmed about what’s happening in the surroundings.
Mindfulness also involves the acceptance of our thoughts and feelings towards which we pay attention without any judgments and believing in them. When we tend to practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than thinking about the past or being concerned about the future.
Mindfulness was originally practiced in Buddhism. The association between Mindfulness and Buddhism is clear by the ancient context of the ‘Satipatthana Sutta’, (where the word sati implies mindfulness) and it stands for the ‘Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness’ as per English translation. In that, Buddha spreads out set of primary mindfulness instructions, having a control on the professional to take cautious consideration on four unique angles – or installations – of experience:
- The body (eg. the breath)
- Sensations or feelings
- The mind / consciousness
- Mental contents
Buddha’s first establishment of mindfulness is the body (which incorporates the breath), and that numerous cutting edge care rehearses start by concentrating on either of these perspectives.
The types of mindfulness practices:
- While mindfulness is innate, it tends to be developed through demonstrated procedures. Here are a few models.
- Walking, seated, standing, and moving contemplation (it’s additionally conceivable resting however regularly prompts rest).
- Short pauses we embed into regular day to day life.
- Blending contemplation practice with different exercises, for example, yoga or sports.
Everyone has a feeling of anxiety in day to day life, be it preparing for a job interview, meeting your partners’ family for the first time and in many more situations. In todays busy life we often encounter with stress and anxiety on daily basis. The enduring stress and anxiety has a great impact on our daily lives. The constant completion of tasks, work load and many other things takes a toll on our mental and physical health. Anxiety is a characteristic human state and an indispensable part of our lives. Anxiety triggers us to respond to risk situations in a ‘fight or flight’ way. It can inspire us to manage difficulties which is a positive way of looking towards the concept of anxiety. The perfect amount of anxiety can assist us to perform better and be more innovative. Persistent anxiety causes emotional distress and can prompt us getting unwell and, even under the least favorable conditions, for example, panic attacks, phobias and obsessional practices. Anxiety at this level can have a really upsetting and crippling effect on our lives. Excess amount of anxiety decrease our productivity and hampers our daily life activities hence regulating anxiety comes out to be one of the critical practice in the present time. It has been found through researches that mindfulness may help in successfully managing the physical and psychological challenges in a manner that reduces the distress. Anxiety leads to unproductivity and have a major setback in different aspects of our lives. Anxiety leads to the demeaning relationships with our family members or with the friends. It also takes up a peal on affecting our personality to the core. Practicing mindfulness could alter these effects of anxiety and will direct towards a purposeful life. Practicing Mindfulness will not only make us productive but also creative and patient towards upcoming challenges.
Many researchers stated that mindfulness help us to reduce anxiety and depression. Mindfulness help us to respond to stress with awareness of what all is taking place in present moment rather than acting instinctively, unaware of what emotions and motives may be leading a decision. It also helps in creating awareness in individuals towards mental and physical state in a particularly. Mindfulness leads to more adaptive reactions to the different situations. Mindfulness works through various ways. It urges us to open up and acknowledge our feeling and pay attention to our emotions. Thus we are better ready to recognize, understand, and process our emotions. Mindfulness likewise urges us to see things from different point of views.
The practice of mindfulness is been seen in the followings domains:
- Body awareness : Body awareness is the capacity to recognize unremarkable sensations in the body and self-report discoveries show that care prompts more noteworthy view of body mindfulness. Monitoring your inner emotional state is important to regulate those emotions in an effective way.
- Centered consideration : Mindfulness practice improves one’s capacity to center consideration. Neuroimaging considers have demonstrated that mindfulness expands actuation in the front cingulate cortex (ACC), a mind region that is engaged with leader capacity and consideration. Through better control of consideration, it tends to be simpler to concentrate on a current task, and not be occupied by stress.
- Self perception: Mindfulness additionally changes one’s point of view towards oneself. Buddhist psychology trains that self is not permanent and static, yet rather comprised of continuous mental occasions. Two months of mindfulness reflection rehearses have been appeared to build confidence and self-acknowledgment.
- Physical health : Mindfulness contemplation has additionally been appeared to create other medical advantages, for example, diminished blood pressure and cortisol levels (a stress hormone).
Benefits of practicing mindfulness:
- Improves your ability to focus
The phrase that ” practice makes a man perfect ” is also applicable to the mindfulness practice. Initially we see that we can stay in present moment for a second or two, which is quite normal. The researches show the average uninterrupted now moments typically last for 1-10 seconds only. As the mind gets strengthened, our ability to focus will improve and we can have greater concentration which will also help us to have control over our emotions.
- Give you new ideas
Underneath the anxieties and stresses that generally include our internal universes, are a plenty of unexplored thoughts and dreams simply holding on to be uncovered and researched. Practicing mindfulness clear up the psychological chatter and clears a path for new creativities to rise. In spite of mainstream thinking, creativity is not an attribute or an ability; it a state of mind.
- Put you in touch with your experiences
Apparently, you just have one life to live. This life can be blissful, lovely and loaded with amazement – yet it is dependent upon you to make it so. In the event that you are walking through the park and your mind is occupied with running your standard idea designs, chances are you going to miss the unfolding of the environment around you. Figuring out how to be in contact with your experience is a valuable lesson. It prompts a rich deliberate life, loaded with motivation and happiness.
- It frees the mind
Normally our mind is flooded with thoughts. We are constantly arranging, reflecting, wondering, or stressing over what’s to come. Imagine what we could accomplish on the off chance that we could offer our mind a break from these things. Mindfulness keeps us in the current moment. At the point when we are completely present, our mind is full of experiences, and along these lines, there is no space for stressing or self-deprecation.