Mindfulness Demystified: What is Mindfulness and How Do You Practice it?
7 Ways to Ease Mindfulness into Your Daily Life
Over the years mindfulness has become synonymous with meditation. Practically everywhere you look mindfulness has become synonymous with meditation. So much so, that the term mindful has evolved into a wellness buzzword. Whether you’re in the grocery store or engaged in doing any of the many nondescript activities of daily life, you’re sure to come across the mention of the term.
Interestingly the widespread use of the term spans the spectrum, from food items, wellness, and meditation, the list essentially goes on and on. Making it that much harder to decern what it truly is, and is not. If you ever found yourself wondering WTF it means to be mindful, and practice mindfulness, you can rest assured that you are not alone. This post will delve into what Mindfulness is, and 7 ways in which you can integrate it into daily practice.
The Power of Awareness
We are spiritual energetic beings having a human incarnation. Everything is energy that equates to being in motion or vibration, and by its nature, it can never be destroyed only transmuted into different forms. Therefore, as within so without as everything within both our inner and external worlds, all have a vibration. From our internal thoughts, feelings, and emotions, to nature, plants, animals, musical instruments, as well as the whole of the external world around us, everything is constantly in motion emitting a specific vibratory frequency.
Vibration is static, ever-moving, evolving, and changing oscillations. From pure consciousness of existence to the element of air, or thoughts, fire which provides intent and willpower, water which provides emotions, and imagination, to the element of the earth which is represented by our physical bodies, hence we are all aligned with the dimensions of nature as we mirror it’s reflection. Therefore, the universal truth of the commonly touted phrase, “as above so below” reigns true as the world of ideas, and thoughts, are reflected above by the element of air which is within the quantum field, whereas, the energy of fire is referenced by “so below” as we are consciousness within physical human form. The nature of the quantum field is timeless, and spaceless, as time and space are manifested within the lower dimensions (i.e, the physical earth plane). Therefore, the quantum field is an unlimited source of energy that can only be perceived by our intuitive senses and our higher selves.
Being that energy is persistently in motion, nothing ever remains the same, as everything has a beginning and an end (i.e. temporary). By way of our very nature, we are limitless beings that are infinitesimally more expansive than the limiting constraints of the human form. As energetic beings, we are rooted and connected within our bodies through the seven energetic centers of consciousness and existence in man, which are most commonly referred to as chakras. The chakra centers are vertically positioned by way of polarizing frequencies from the base of the spine up through the crown of our heads, with the frequencies of the lower chakras increasingly ascending upwards to the highest (crown) which reflects enlightenment. This polarization of the first and last chakras allows for the fluid flow of energy in man/woman.
We are an emanation of the divine, as we are already encoded with everything we could ever, wish, hope for, or desire. From the moment we are born into human form and take our first breath, we were already enough. Contrary to popular belief, we have always been and will always be enough.
We just need to clear our perception of any illusions that affirm otherwise. This is the prevailing truth of our being that often gets clouded by the densities of the world that are persistently impressed upon us. From the time we are born, the ways of the world begin to be impressed upon us. Naturally, we must be taught the intricacies and nuances between right, and wrong, good, bad, and indifference, as well as all of the many ways in which we should govern ourselves as we grow and evolve in an effort to thrive in this world.
However, along the way these impressions shape and form our beliefs about fear, lack, and limitations, narrowing our view of what’s truly possible for us. We live in an field of unlimited possibilities. However, the prevailing lower frequencies of trauma, fear, doubt, worry, lack, and feelings of inadequacy, often leaves us to the mercy of the limitations of the world that leave us to suffer, and forget our true nature.
Why Mindfulness?
In this technologically advanced day and age, we are perpetually bombarded with noise and distractions that are persistently vying for our time, energy, and attention. From the persistent obligations and responsibilities of adult life to the perpetual challenges to find some semblance of work-life balance, as we collectively invest an exorbitant amount of time, effort, and energy into staying connected and accessible with all that’s constantly going on within the endless news cycle.
In all honesty, it is beyond exhausting to constantly multitask, and juggle multiple different competing priorities. In every sense of the word, multitasking outwardly presents itself as an effective measure of productivity. However, dispersing our attention in multiple different directions mostly relies on repetition, and muscle memory, and less on presence, and single-focused awareness as it doesn’t lend us to be present to all that’s presently unfolding on a moment by moment basis.
In fact, the more we repeat select actions, the more it creates hardwired habit patterns that enable us to recycle select tasks at will, with little to no thought or conscious effort. Be it texting, reading, browsing through your phone, or an emotional disturbance, this is one of the primary reasons why distracted driving is so dangerous. In essence, the more places you disperse your awareness the more you are unavailable to what is presently unfolding.
This is also reminiscent of when cell phones were few and far between, and you had to solely rely on repetitious muscle memory in order to commit a number to memory. You could literally be doing any number of things all the while you could successfully dial a number without conscious thought.
Interestingly, I can still to this day (26 + years later) remember my very first boyfriend’s home phone number simply by repeating the engrained keypad motions that were committed to my memory so long ago. However, if you were to ask me to repeat the number verbatim, I would not even know where to begin. Although this is not a number that I will ever dial again, it is interesting how I can still recall the pattern. This is just a small glimpse into how powerful you are.
Mindfulness provides the resources, tools, and practices that support us to root ourselves within the truth of our being, as we go beyond distractions to redirect our attention to what is presently taking place in the now. In essence, it’s a practice of singular focused awareness that empowers you to exercise volition of where you are placing your attention at any given time.
Far too often our attention is highjacked by the many distractions that threaten to deter us away from our intended focus. We are not enslaved to the wayward unpredictability of distractions. Remember we are each individualized unique expressions of the divine, with the ability to take full volition over where you are placing our attention and think independently of circumstances. Mindful awareness empowers you to take our power back.
Why It Matters?
In essence, mindfulness is untethered awareness of how we move, interact and have our beingness in the world. In other words, it’s a state of being that empowers us to be fully present and attentive to our intention. From the very thoughts, feelings, sensations, emotions, and everything else in between it is a conscious awareness of where we are placing our attention at any given point and time.
One would think that awareness is the equivalent of being consciously awake. That couldn’t be further from the truth, as we can literally and figuratively be in one physical place engaging with one another at a particular time, and outwardly appear as if we are focused and engaged in conversation. However, if you peer a little deeper and go beyond the mask of appearances one could easily see that one individual’s thoughts and mind are in a completely different world.
In other words, whenever our awareness is not rooted within the present it’s likely to be found within a completely different space and tense of time (past experiences, reflections, future projections, and anticipations). Mindfulness in itself is not just a practice that’s a one-off, that’s to be done as convenience permits. It’s a way of living that spans all aspects of life. From eating, physical motion, communication, etc, it spans the spectrum.
"Mindfulness is a reflective practice that empowers you to journey within to explore, unite, and unfold into your higher self.”
—Sonja Crandon
Somewhere along the way productivity, and the hustle mentality have been rallied, celebrated, and prioritized over tuning in, listening, and complying with our inner intuitive guidance. In many ways, it almost seems as if we have sloughed off our intuitive faculty, subconsciously regulating it as insignificant.
All the while, this very faculty innately connects us with our higher selves, leading and guiding us to act in a manner that aligns with our highest good. Only this couldn't be further from the truth, as everything first originates from within and flows into our outer experience. In other words, tuning in to our intuition connects our higher selves with our physical bodies.
7 Ways to Integrate Mindfulness into Daily Practice
1. Tune-in
Each and every day there are people and things that persistently rally for our attention. Be it work, family, relationships, or obligations, it will always seem as if our awareness is better suited to anything else other than ourselves. Tuning in to what we experience within each moment, increases our self-awareness of what is flowing through our awareness.
2. Self-Awareness
Prioritizing productivity over self-care can disrupt our well-being. Going within when we feel an intense urge to prioritize productivity over self-care, supports us to detach from habits that deny our innate needs.
3. Deep Listening
Listening goes beyond merely using our ears to hear. Our mind, body, and spirit, are always communicating with us. We just simply must tune in to what it’s calling for us to do. This message will likely come by way of our intuition as it guides us to our highest good. If a feeling arises that you must rest, do less, or designate time for yourself, listen.
“When your body speaks, listen. Even when it’s a whisper. Ask for clarity. It will repeat itself.
—Jasofmoon
4. Response
We are all constantly in communication with our higher selves as it guides us through each and every moment of our lives. When we receive a communication, it is up to us to respond in a way that honors our whole selves. By giving ourselves permission to prioritize our needs over everything else, it supports us to remain harmoniously aligned with our bodies.
5. Start Small
As with any new practice, start small. Increase your awareness of any resistance that arises in any area of your life. Don’t deprive yourself by trying to tackle old habits all at once. Observe resistance as it occurs, acknowledge it, and practice releasing all effort to resist what is. Celebrate the small wins that come from practicing letting go with a degree of consistency, one win at a time.
Start small, journaling at least one thing that you recognized resistance to, and consciously let go each day. Remember that small consistent efforts result in sustainable habits. In time you will likely find that it is nearly impossible to just list one thing. As you put pen to paper or fingers on the keypad, you more than likely will find yourself rattling off far more than a few things.
6. Release Any Guilt
Naturally, there are countless things that you can release. However, whenever you experience difficulty there will likely be times when the totality of your experience feels too overwhelming to find an ounce of mental fortitude to engage in the practice. As with most things that misalign with what we believe we should feel, guilt is likely sure to follow.
Anytime you feel guilt arising, allow grace, and release any feelings of guilt. As with the clouds that float across the sky, any number of things will cross through your awareness that can make you feel guilty. There will be seasons where life is not all rainbows and butterflies as we experience the ebbs and flows of life. Know that is ok to miss the mark and experience feelings that may not feel comfortable. Grant yourself permission to release any guilt, as many times as need be, and know that this is exactly why it’s a practice.
7. Forgive Yourself
Forgiveness is a practice that is largely reserved and emphasized as something that we should do for others. However, forgiveness first begins with the self. There are going to be times when your vantage point is so clouded by the density of life that it may become challenging to not center blame and guilt on oneself.
Know that beyond every experience, lies a lesson. As we grow and evolve we are going to make mistakes along the way. Release any feelings of guilt, blame, or shame, grant yourself permission to forgive yourself, and allow yourself to begin again.
If you are interested in expanding your mindfulness practice in a virtual community of like-minded individuals, you are more than welcome to join our Mindfulness Community Circle for twice-weekly live facilitated mindfulness sessions. We’d love to have you join our rapidly growing global community.
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I have seen first-hand the benefits of being more mindful but it can be so easy to fall into old patterns. This was a great reminder to be more mindful today and every day. Thank you
Thank you so much