The benefits of mindfulness are big time plentiful, yet for all of us sometimes, with all the advice on how to live a more reflective life in a very busy world can seem contradictory, with all the gurus offering enlightenment through complex and lengthy exercises and routines. The fortunate truth is that you can truly reach a state of gentle meditation without the need for prolonged spells of sitting still while all the daily to-do list screams for your attention. As you know, those must-do chores will never go away, so why not combine all of them with a healthy dose of mindfulness and experience the very best of both worlds?
Teacher, consultant, and therapist Kathryn Lovewell is a huge, passionate believer in the many benefits of approaching routine activities with thoughtful love and attention (and so am I). She delivers a training program in Mindful Self-Compassion, where the participants are encouraged to practice mindfulness in their daily lives-essentially looking at everyday tasks and responsibilities in a new and different light. Things like making your afternoon cup of tea or coffee or taking that morning shower are just perfect, she says.
It does sounds easy enough, however where do you start? During this course Kathryn invites participants to get in the zone by choosing one of the activity they do every day. Pick something you would normally do without thinking, she says. Bring it to your mind and visualize yourself doing it. 100% fully immerse yourself in it, pay close attention to all of your senses and really savor the experience. This could be anything from you eating your lunch to washing your hands-nothing is too mundane.
There are indeed many benefits-mental, emotional, and physical-to be had by you practicing this method. In just a few minutes the mind will become calmer, your stress hormones are reduced, and your body relaxes. By you focusing on the here and now you will move away from ruminating thoughts of situations that may be getting you down or causing you some anxiety. This will in turn help to distance yourself from any unpleasant emotions that these situations may be causing. And by you embedding this new approach in your normal day-to-day routine you will establish a new healthy habit that will also bring the benefits of mindfulness.
Now it is your turn
First, start by choosing an activity that you do every day. Try to keep it simple, it could be washing up after lunch or dinner, or preparing an afternoon snack. Here I am using the example of hanging the laundry.
(1)
* Breathe – Breathe-in, breathe-out before you get started
take 4 deep breaths filling the lungs with air pushing
out your belly before slow exhaling through your
mouth as though you are gently blowing out a candle.
* Feel – Notice the shape your arms make as you
take each one of your garment out of the laundry
basket and hang them on line. Is it cold or warm?
(2)
* Observe – Watch how the shirts, t-shirts, and even the socks
are being afflicted by the wind .
Now look all around. What else is going on in your yard?
Are there any leaves on the ground? Are there cloud in the sky?
Any birds in the trees? Or any wildlife around you.
(3)
*Smell – Can you make out the fragrance of your fabric conditioner
and what other scents are competing with it?
*Taste – Is there any dew that’s fallen onto your lips?
What sensation does it bring?
*Listen – What sounds can you hear? Is there traffic noise in the background?
Tune in to what’s around you.
*Breathe – Finish with 4 long, slow, and deep breaths as before.
Reflect on everything that you experience.
Miss Ruth Atkinson, a bank employee and a mother of two, has taken the mindful approach to washing, I’ve always been quite particular was hing my dishes, she says. I like to always do it properly, but have recently found it to be particularly therapeutic. I always start with putting on my special rubber gloves that I wash dishes with, I like to soak up the fragrance of the washing-up liquid while swirling the water. I’m quite methodical, always washing items in a particular order and working through from cutlery up to pans, as I go, lining everything up. It feels so soothing and satisfying.
Even if, the family are in the kitchen it is something I always love to do in silence. It’s become a somewhat of a ritual and I always finish by burning some of my favorite incense. It’s as though I’m putting the kitchen to bed, after our evening meal, she says. My kitchen window looks out onto the garden, that my dad takes great pride in always keeping beautiful, and I regularly pause to take a good look at it. I so love noticing all the changes from day to day, last week it rained heavily one day, the flowers seemed more vibrant afterward. It was nice to chat to my dad later about what I had noticed. He seems to appreciate it, and that’s a beautiful bonding experience between us in itself.
A soothing, lovely ritual, the beauty of nature, precious bonding time, with a chore ticked off. Almost makes you want to reach for those special rubber gloves, doesn’t it? Follow this mindful approach to any of your life’s routine taske and in time my friends you may indeed notice yourself feeling calmer and less stressed, I did. My friends rather than seeing mindfulness as a complicated, time-consuming task to add to the to-do list, try to find a little time for reflection in your daily routine.
May you be always in good health, humbly your Paul Earl.
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META TITLE MEDITATION-AND STRESS-AND-MINDFULNESS
MEAT DESCRIPTION How to use MEDITATION-AND-MINDFULNESS to relieved STRESS
These are some really great tips on how to start a practice of mindfulness. It’s so easy to go through your day to day routines without giving them much thought, but to really be present and aware in each moment seems daunting at first. To pick one small routine to start with makes it less daunting to get started!
Good afternoon Haleigh, since I have began to practice mindfulness, my whole life has changed. To be able to live in the here and now with each and everything that you do throughout a day brings a whole new light within your life. Giving you much more peace and happiness, also giving you total control over your existence, and removing all stress, it is a beautiful thing. One’s whole life changes for the better good of our world. I am very happy that this information has embraced your thoughts and your life. I think you for visiting Weightlifting For A Beautiful World. May you be always happy and healthy. Humbly your Paul Earl.
Paul, thank you for this very helpful post. I will say that this is a very interesting way to look at meditation. I didn’t realize how the effects of stress can build up over time. And how quickly it can be relieved with such a simple exercise as the 4 points that you bring out.
I have been dealing with a health issue for several months and when I started the breathing exercise, I could feel the stress releasing. Could this same type of meditation be used to help me to get back into the physical exercise program I was in before I started having breathing problems over a year ago? I am sure that it would take a while to accomplish.
Good evening Sonny, yes indeed meditation and breathing exercises can help you to get back into a exercise program. However I recommend for you to gradually go forward, for instance, in the beginning I recommend for you to only do 20 minutes of exercising. do that for a couple weeks, 3 times a week. Then the following 2 weeks bring it up to 25 minutes, for a couple weeks. And so forth, every couple weeks, I recommend that you bring it up 5 minutes every two weeks until you reach 45 minutes. However if you feel your breathing is still tight or not complete, I want you to stop and talk to your doctor. I also recommend for you to come back to my website and read the article that is titled Healthy Weight- loss and more. The reason being you will find some information about some products that I believe with all of my heart will help you on your journey to become a hundred percent healthy once again. I thank you for visiting Weightlifting For A Beautiful World. If it is anything at all that we can do for you please reach out to us. May good health always be with you. Humbly your Paul Earl.
I like the idea that nothing is mundane no matter how little it may seem such as making an afternoon cup of coffee or washing your hands. Breathe, feel, observe, smell, taste, listen and breathe, a mix of internal musings and external sensations. I appreciate this mindful approach and I am definitely going to put this information to good use, thank you for a positive message!
Good afternoon Pentrental, I think you for visiting Weightlifting For A Beautiful World. Yes indeed mindfulness can change your whole world. You will become more peaceful, more alert, more content and you will begin to feel more happy. Everything that you do will becomes easier and complete, yes indeed since I began this practice I have become a new fuller person that I truly like being. I am very happy that you are going to begin this approach, it’s going be like you stepping into a new world. If it is anything at all that we can ever do for you please reach out to us. May good health always be with you. Humbly your Paul Earl.
Hi there,
My sister told me about mindfulness, and now that I read your article, I can relate to what she meant. I am under a lot of stress lately, and I really need to find a way to calm down. So here I am:) I will try the exercises you suggested in the article, and I’ll see how it goes. Just a question, please. Is there a difference between meditation, yoga, and mindfulness? If so, I would be very happy to know about it.
Thank you for this excellent post!
Good morning Daniella, I am sincerely happy that you are going to begin this beautiful approach. I can truly say since I have began this practice my life has changed for the better. Mindfulness will increase your happiness, it will give you more peace and joy, it will give you more contentment, it will also make your life easier. You will become more focused in all that you do. Yes there is a relation between meditation with yoga or without yoga, they are entwine together because of the here and now, however they are not the same. When you begin this practice of mindfulness the stress is going to walk away from you. I thank you for visiting Weightlifting For A Beautiful World, if it’s anything, anything at all that we can do for you please reach out to us. May you be healthy and happy always. Humbly yours Paul Earl.
This is a big task. Are you saying we can meditate while doing our regular house choirs. I can’t believe such is possible. If that is possible, am sure we can’t do it while cooking. Well, why am I judging too fast? I need to get this very clear. Your analogy is straight forward and I will love to put that into practice. How many weeks can it take for the brain to identify this method of meditation?
Good evening Stella, I am saying by putting into practice mindfulness, life will become easier, you will become happier, you will feel more complete, you will have more peace. You will be more focus, you will be more confident, you will have more contentment your world will change. Stressful situations will become Child’s play, everything that I have said to you has happen for me and many people that I know that has put mindfulness into practice, Yes it is a form of meditation because you are involving yourself totally into the here and now. The first day that you put mindfulness into practice you will feel the difference, so I say to you Stella if you will take a leap of faith you will walk into a beautiful new world. I think you for visiting Weightlifting For A Beautiful World. If it’s ever anything, anything at all that we can do for you please reach out to us. May you always be in good health. Humbly yours, Paul Earl.
I do love meditation which helps to calm our mind. But I don’t do it on a regular basis. It’s good to know about Kathryn Lovewell who delivers training program in Mindful Self-Compassion. Thanks for describing step by step how mindfulness meditation approach. I will follow this mindfulness approach in order to feel less stress. Thanks for the article.
Good morning Fahim, meditation and mindfulness is indeed a beautiful thing. My friend if you will put into practice mindfulness your stressful situations will become a thing of easiness. As I have explain to so many, you will become more confident, you will have more peace, you will be more focus, you will experience more contentment. You will have more control in all that you do, you will walk through the door of a new world, where you truly will be the master of all of your situations, hassle will become a delicate flower. I am truly happy that you have decided to put mindfulness into practice. I thank you for visiting Weightlifting For A Beautiful World, if it is anything that we can do for you please reach out to us. May you always be happy and healthy. Humbly your Paul Earl.