Why Practice Mindfulness?

One of my favorite definitions of mindfulness comes from Jon Kabat-Zinn, who says, “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” I like to think of mindfulness as the practice of “attending to”. To attend means to be present, to listen, or to give care or attention. It’s a verb, which reminds me that it requires some action on my part. Paying attention on purpose is crucial in today’s fast paced world. Living with mindful attention can help us wake up to our lives, rather than just coasting on autopilot. Mary Oliver describes this beautifully in her poem “I Happened to Be Standing”:

“…I know I can walk through the world, along the shore or under the trees, with my mind filled with things of little importance, in full self-attendance. A condition I can’t really call being alive…”

— Mary Oliver

Her words nudge me to contemplate how life happens only in the present moment, and to ponder those moments I miss when my mind is full of “things of little importance.” How can I be fully alive? Can I pay attention on purpose, stay present, and let my thoughts and feelings just be, without judgment? It’s simple, but not easy, I can tell you. Still, practicing mindful living in the everyday moments can lead us to greater awareness and aliveness. Here are 3 practical ways to begin to attend to the moments that are your life:

Mindful Breathing

Use your breath as an anchor to the present moment. Take a breath, allowing the lungs to fill. Try to make your exhale longer than your inhale--a long exhale initiates the body’s relaxation response. Notice the sensation of your lungs filling and emptying, your chest and abdomen rising and falling with each breath. Do this several times. Try to allow your thoughts to come and go, to pass by like cars driving past your house. Notice them, and then bring your attention back to the breath.

Attending to Your Morning Routine

Choose something from your daily morning routine, such as brushing your teeth, taking a shower, or making the bed. When you engage in that activity, focus all your attention on what you’re doing: what you can feel, see, hear, and touch...the body movements involved. Try to notice what you are doing with a sense of purpose but also of curiosity. When thoughts arise, just notice them, and then let them come and go like passing cars. You will start to see that you get caught up in your thoughts again and again--this is natural! Just acknowledge the thought, and then bring your attention back to the activity at hand.

Daily Vacation

Choose an activity each day as your “daily vacation”...going for a walk, taking a hot bath, listening to music, petting your cat or dog, or having some coffee or tea, for example. Engage in this activity with intention, and try to be present and experience what is happening. Use all of your senses-- what do you see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Touch? Notice how you are feeling in your body. Notice any emotions and name them. When thoughts arise, just notice them and let them pass by, without becoming attached to them.

Mindful living takes practice--think of mindfulness as a muscle that needs to be developed, just like the muscles we use for walking or exercise. Try one or more of these practices that are simple to incorporate into your daily routine, and you may start to notice in yourself a condition called “being alive”.

Resources:

Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn

“I Happened to Be Standing”-- from A Thousand Mornings: Poems by Mary Oliver