Be Present

Tags

balance, breath, emotions, meditation, mindfulness, peace, practice, yoga

Originally, the plan for this week’s blog was to write about the meaning of “om” – why we chant it, what it means, etc. We’ll cover that in another post. Instead, I came across this post about how to add mindfulness to your everyday life from a yoga studio in Baltimore, MD that I would like to share with you.

If you Google “what is mindfulness?” the definition is one of the first results. In this context, mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Simply, mindfulness is keeping your mind, body, and spirit present in the current moment. Mindfulness is not meditation, though meditation can be a part of a mindfulness practice because it clears the mind and allows space for peace and calm.

Multi-tasking is the antithesis of mindfulness, yet is widely practiced in modern society and even worn as a badge of honor. In a society that rewards those who achieve and accumulate the most, it’s no wonder that most of us find ourselves with a coffee in one hand, cell phone in the other scrolling through social media, while trying to carry on a conversation. When was the last time you really savored an experience?  When was the last time you were aware of your reaction to a situation and took time to process it?  When was the last time you had a conversation with someone without picking up your phone? If you answered, “I don’t know”, then you might want to consider some of the techniques Sarah describes in her post. My personal favorite? Keeping a beginner’s mind. Would love to hear what you think!