To Zen or Not to Zen #mindfulness #noticing

If the word mindfulness sends you into an eye roll or causes you to clench up, you’re not alone.

I mean, what does mindfulness even mean?

To be mindful simply means to notice:

~ notice your thoughts

~ notice your body sensations

~ notice emotions & feelings

Why would you want to do this?

Noticing offers opportunity:

~ opportunity to understand our reactions

~ opportunity to understand our relationship to self and others

~ opportunity to respond, rather than react

~ opportunity to shift uncomfortable sensations to a state of peace and calm

We can learn to do this by engaging our senses when we are doing something pleasurable like:

Eating/Cooking

~ notice how the food tastes, smells, looks, sounds, feels

Bathing/Showering

~ notice how the water moves over your skin, the temperature, the smell of your

shampoo/body wash, the look of the water droplets, the sound of the water

falling/moving, taste the steam

Lying in Bed to Sleep

~ notice the feel of the sheets, the smell of the fabric, the sound of your breath

the taste of your toothpaste, the darkness behind your eyelids

Practicing with pleasurable moments will prepare you for more intense moments and offer guidance back to calm.