Mindfulness, it’s so simple it’s got to be easy. Right??? By John Raisen – MHS Dip. Hyp. CS Halcyon Therapy It’s seems to be the buzzword at the moment -‐ ‘Mindfulness’. It promises great benefits, you can relate to the present moment, not get anxious, smell the roses etc. etc. and research backs it up that your brain can be ‘rewired’ so that you respond in a calmer way rather than reacting in your usual manner. The Mental Health Awareness Week this year was focused on the benefits of Mindfulness. It must be easy because Jon Kabat-‐Zinn, writer of so many books says all you have to do is ‘pay attention, on purpose, to the present moment’ and you do that anyway, don’t you? Well … How often are you Mindful? Is it part of your daily routine? Do you do it every now and then but wonder if that’s right? Did you become more stressed because you focused on what the other person was actually saying or doing? Did your emotions just kick in and did you end up saying or doing something that you now realize was not rational? There’s got to be a better way to relate to the world around you, to the things that happen every day, things that ‘get to you’, ‘press your button’ and you end up responding in the same way – but expecting different results! There has got to be an opportunity sometime to enjoy the everyday life, to be ‘in the moment’ and feel content to be there. For a start let me state I am, as far as I know, a pretty average person – I may meditate but no Ommms…. J, no sitting cross-‐legged (it kills my knees), and no chanting. I find it relaxing, it clears my mind and just 15 minutes gets things into perspective. I do a little yoga as it connects the body and mind in a gentle way, and I am a qualified hypnotherapist. Now there is a connection there; relaxation. In Vipassana meditation you can observe the mind and physical sensations of the body, the word yoga derives from a loose translation of a Sanskrit term meaning to yoke or to unite the body and mind through relaxation and exercise, and with hypnotherapy we use relaxation to relax the body and the conscious mind to let the unconscious mind become more focused. With Mindfulness, being more physically relaxed but having a greater awareness of our thoughts and emotional feelings, creates an opportunity -‐ a very brief window, to respond differently. This is what takes practice, patience and preparation. In our weekly Meditation with Mindfulness group we; • Take time to Meditate with guidance, as this reduces the occasions that our mind, quite naturally, goes wandering off • View appropriate short videos to better our understanding • Practice new ways of becoming aware of our thoughts and emotions • • Discuss our progress and difficulties Enjoy short Mindfulness and yoga exercises Each participant has the opportunity of doing extra which includes daily practice of meditation & mindfulness, viewing online talks or reading related articles but this is not obligatory – you can just ‘chill’ each Tuesday if you want to. If you are going through life, driving miles in the car without being aware of what’s happening or waiting for the moment when life will give you that great big jolt that brings you into the present moment and you’re happy with that, well thanks for taking a few minutes to read this. Should you want to learn more about Mindfulness, there’s stacks and stacks on the internet and enough books to keep you going a lifetime. If you want to actually become more Mindful, then think about joining our group and begin to make small changes in your life that may well bring big benefits to your everyday living in the ‘real world’.