Mindfulness

The name of my practice is Mindful Healing, which I chose because I feel that mindfulness - being present in the moment- is critical to our healing process. We live in a world that calls for our attention at every moment, in a multitude of ways, to a point where it is so very difficult to find that place of stillness within ourselves. Our lives are filled with busyness, in part out of necessity, because of the responsibilities we have, but also because it is challenging for us to sit still. I don't mean that we need to sit and meditate necessarily, but rather that we need to cultivate a willingness to focus on what is right in front of us.

One of the easiest ways to get into being present is to notice your breath. This is why most meditation practices involve focusing on the breath. I often will also put my hand on my heart for a moment, because I find it gets me to take a breath, slow down, get centered and grounded, and be present.

Allow yourself to be fully absorbed in whatever you are doing. If you are in conversation, see if you can be fully present and listen deeply, without interruption. And notice how easy or challenging this is! If you have a hard time doing this, then you may want to continue practicing until it becomes more natural for you.

If you are taking a walk, notice the sights and sounds, the aromas, good or bad. Just notice. If you are walking with someone else, try an experiment of walking in silence for a few minutes. And leave the ipod and cell phone at home!

When you are engaged in what you consider a boring task, like cleaning your home, be with the moment, rather than thinking how much you hate doing this task and wanting to move on. All we have is the present moment, and if we are always lurching toward the next moment, or dwelling on the past, we miss out on life, which is happening right now, right at this instant, regardless of what you are doing!