This is part two in a three-part series of what I learned at The Women's Health Symposium in Philadelphia.
“Mindfulness is an ancient Buddhist practice which has profound relevance for our present-day lives. This relevance has nothing to do with Buddhism per se…but has everything to do with waking up and living in harmony with oneself and with the world. It has to do with examining who we are, with questioning our view of the world and our place in it, and with cultivating some appreciation for the fullness of each moment we are alive. Most of all, it has to do with being in touch.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
Alene Brennan, health coach and yoga instructor
Bill Moyers first introduced me to Jon Kabat-Zinn (founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School) on his PBS special “Healing and the Mind.” I was intrigued by the concept of reducing stress, pain and illness with Zinn’s “Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction” that combined yoga and meditation.
The ability to train my brain to reduce pain, stress and illness seemed like it was well worth the effort.
So when I arrived at The Women’s Health Symposium in Philadelphia, and learned that one of the breakout sessions would be about mindfulness, I was thrilled.
The speaker was Alene Brennan, a certified health coach and yoga instructor who studied with, among others, Drs. Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra and Bernie Siegel.
Here was our first exercise. Why don’t you try it?
Get comfortable in your chair. Close your eyes and think about this simple question.
What is on your mind right now?
What were you thinking about? Was it the 10 things you should be doing right now? Did you think about what’s going on at home, or what you need to pick up at the grocery store?
This simple exercise demonstrates how we are able to disengage for a moment to pay attention to what we are thinking.
We need to ask ourselves what we’re sacrificing while we’re thinking about 10 thoughts at once.
Do you sometimes feel disengaged because you’re not living fully in the moment, and because of that you are unable to enjoy that moment?
Do you feel that is life passing you by?
Alene’s quote (and I loved this) was:
“Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, and today is a gift. That is why today is called the present.”
We all need to be mindful in everything we do. We need to acknowledge the busy lives we lead, realize that multitasking is the land of make-believe, and that it’s impossible to juggle 10 things at once.
Something will always suffer.
Are you paying full attention to your children while you’re talking on your cell phones? Are you listening to your spouse while you’re returning a text at the same time? Are you hearing the news commentator on TV while you check your emails?
We have the ability to teach ourselves to deliberately and non-judgmentally pay attention to what is happening right now – at this moment – at what’s in front of us. We can make that change by training our minds to live in the moment.
Begin practicing mindfulness by noticing when you are lost in your thoughts. Take a moment, and then redirect your thoughts by bringing yourself back into the moment.
You can allow your senses to help you become more mindful. Focus on what is around you. Look at the beautiful sky (sight) and smell the freshly cut flowers (smell). Listen to the music playing (sound) and lovingly stroke your pet (touch). Play around with your senses to find the one that helps bring you back to this moment.
Here is your next exercise to try.
Sit up tall on the edge of your chair, and pay close attention to your breath. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Focus on your breathing, in and out, and notice how you feel.
Try to take time to notice your breathing on a daily basis. This is the beginning of creating mindfulness.
Mindful breathing, mindful walking, mindful eating and even mindful driving can all help to alleviate anger and anxiety. They create a sense of calm and joy, allowing you to enjoy each and every moment of your life.
Are you mindful of your thoughts and activities?
To learn more about Mindfulness go to amazon.com and check out Jon Kabat-Zinn's many bestsellers, including "Wherever You Go There You Are" and "Full Catastrophe Living: Using The Wisdom Of Your Body And Mind To Face Stress, Pain and Illness."
Other posts you might enjoy:
Hi Cathy, I was thinking about this today so I was meant to stop in. Thank you for this wonderful article.
Cathy, this is exactly what yoga is all about. You learn to breathe deeply and become conscious of every breath. You try to rid your mind of everything, concentrating on your breathing. It's hard to do, but it does feel cleansing when you can accomplish it. I am inspired by your post to practice mindfulness more regularly. I also love the quote you shared about the present being a gift. Lovely post.
Your post is so timely as I just started a meditation practice after visiting Rancho la Puerta. My type A mind is actually doing pretty well with this. I am going to try your practical exercises. I especially like the first one you offer.
I will have to share this with Michael who does yoga a few times a week and is a huge fan of Jon Zabat-Zinn. I will also have to stop doing four million things at once, and try to stay in the moment. I know what a difference mindfulness can make -- I just have to actually practice it. Thanks for the reminder!
Cathy, thanks for this post. It is exactly what I needed to focus on today. I have that tired, but wired feeling that comes from being too connected, to well, everything. I will walk slowly to school today, remembering to breath and absorb all the glory that surrounds me.
Cathy,
Thanks for sharing these important mindfulness exercises that anyone can do at any time. I try to be mindful and I had a lesson in this just this summer, when I put down the social media to spend quality one on one time with my daughter. It has made a big difference; and is something I am mindful of now.
Estelle
Very good exercise one of the reasons I join the lifeclass session that oprah and deepak have every so often taking the time to just breathe in
My favorite part about yoga is the mediation it teaches you. That mediation can really help you in other parts of your life as well. So it really does have health benefits in multi-aspects.
This was a good reminder for me to slow down and focus on just one thing at a time. I get so sucked into technology that I say I'm playing with the kids, but I'm posting to Instagram. Or I'm cooking dinner, but I'm also returning texts. It's time to just focus on right now.
These are great exercises. They don't take long. Which I need to remember... and do. I am so horrible about being "in the moment." Always so much to think about that it's hard to shut off the continual to-do list in my head.
Great photo of you and Alene!
I make a conscious effort to put the phone down or close the laptop when I talk with my kids. If I don't set the example to focus and engage in the here and now for them, they aren't going to learn it any other way. Same goes for my husband so we make the time to reconnect during the busy week.
I definitely believe in the power of reducing stress through practices like yoga and meditation to help improve quality of life. I think mental wellness has a huge impact on physical wellness.
Thanks for these important reminders, Cathy. It is so easy to let the present slip by. I know for me, my mind is always whirring, afraid it's going to miss something - and then I end up missing the here and NOW.
Yoga and mediation have always been helpful for me in relieving stress. Great article!
I wish I could have made to the Health Symposium in Philly! I was able to attend one a few years back and learned so much! I wish I had known one was so close.
I definitely try to take moments out of my day to be mindful and aware of everything that is happening right there in that second. I like to stand outside on the balcony and just look out over the road and have a totally thought-free head and just appreciate life.
It is nice to read about your experience at this conference.
Wow, what an amazing experience! I am going to try some of these exercises. I need to better my life!
What an interesting exercise and it's really speaking to me. I not only have 10 things on my mind but more like 30! I need some R&R! Thank you for this!
Cathy I heavily enjoyed your post as it hits on many things I'm currently doing health-wise. I do yoga on a daily basis and while I'm not doing any headstands, I have found it to be helpful at times.
This is such a wonderful post - one that I needed to read. I am the queen of multi-tasking, but you're right - it is a fantasy - something always suffers. I'm going to check out Zinn’s “Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction” and I am bookmarking this post - thank you!
What a wonderful article! Thanks for the great read!
This is interesting. I can rarely slow down to relax. I even have trouble getting to sleep every single night.