A Journey Back To Wholeness Series Mindfulness Therapy By M. Mays
DISCLAIMER: The pieces in this series are not to be considered official medical advice… As with any health care treatment option, there are risks that each individual must consider, pros/cons to be weighed and ultimately a personally made decision for what’s believed to be best for themselves. Though meant to serve as unbiased and educational, this series was written based on over two decades of personal experience which by no means is intended to speak or be true for all. You are invited to enjoy with an open-mind and heart, take what resonates and leave the rest.
The beauty in Mindfulness is, it gets to be created by each individual’s mind– in a way that’s relevant to them, wherever they happen to be in their journey… Some of us feel like our minds are too FULL and it’s as though there isn’t room for anything else to exist. Plus, isn’t being “mindful” the same as just having a ‘ positive ‘ attitude?
And what happens when the idea of arriving presently to any given moment, is unnerving because of what we may be experiencing?
An issue that can arise with the ideology of ‘ positivity ‘, is the suggestion of skipping over what is needed to be felt- in order to *just* wear a smile and move on, because as we all know– it is far more complex than that… but how much more complicated need it be?? That answer is ultimately up to us.
Mindfulness could be described as the practice of noticing the “little” things, yet striving to see and put effort forth to remain a part of the **bigger picture**
Something that can compliment this is the practice of Gratitude…
It’s not easy, particularly when it may seem as though there is “nothing” to be grateful for and we may be experiencing a state of grief or mourning.. Mindfulness is the recognition of all that, and remembering: it’s a gift to be alive with the breath in our bodies to even think or feel any of that in the first place, let alone be reading this right now.
We’re often more fortunate than we feel up to professing credit for and can sometimes feel that by appreciating that– we somehow disregard our struggles but Mindfulness is the anchor that can tether us to authentic responses as opposed to immediate reactions, perhaps especially when fortune is the last thing we’re seemingly enduring.
This practice could also be described as a way to live moment by moment– that is literally the only way we are able to exist so why make surviving even harder on ourselves? Ever notice how things can end up so much more challenging, when perhaps we’re rushing, not listening to or paying attention to signals being sent from our bodies or perhaps when we’re already not having the greatest day?
Mindfulness is not intended to be dismissive– quite the contrary: it is possible to validate an experience, while still working through it- and not yet accepting it, but shifting the track of the direction thoughts/reflections are going.
Points to ponder:
What are the benefits of being present and how does one go about doing that when the current moment isn’t one we’re interested in being present for? Presently arriving offers an opportunity to ensure we are tapped into the entirety of our being- not solely remaining focused on pain, what has harmed or hurts us but cultivating an on-going flow of actions/thoughts that gift our vessels a healthy and safe environment, is a persistent discipline that can serve as our rescue.
Releasing judgement:
Whether of experiences, other people, yourself- is being scientifically examined because it has been found to be a key element in reduction or stress and ‘ happiness ‘ overall.
That’s another word that could be internalized offensively- to imply ‘being happy’ is a goal we should devote ourselves to achieve. Of course the hope is that everyone lives as joyfully as possible. However, reaching states of ‘contentment’, can be readily achievable: in some ways remaining content could be viewed as more ‘realistic’, as emotions are fleeting but a Whole-Body commitment/decision to remaining unshakable regardless of the punches that life throws, is a way to acknowledge what we’re going through without permitting it to define us.
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