What is Mindfulness?
Written by: RJ Lisander
So, while technically not a blog post on yoga, some of the concepts of mindfulness are not too different from some of the concepts of yoga. I suppose the parallels of yoga and mindfulness have always intertwined a bit for me, especially the concepts of sitting in the moment and allowing the body, mind and breath to settle. But, it wasn’t until I started working with Kate Thieda, MS, LPCA, NCC, on a workshop, Girls on the Run: Stress Management, Mindfulness and Yoga, that we are co-presenting in March and April for Empower Personalized Fitness, that I really started to observe the connection that I was making to mindfulness in my personal and teaching practices.
First of all, mindfulness is defined as maintaining a moment-to-moment attention to the present, including thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the environment surrounding you. Much like a visit to the yoga mat, when acting mindfully, we are letting go of all of the “stuff” of life, the plans, the outcomes and results, the responsibilities and we are just allowing ourselves to be in a moment, likely focusing on nothing but not falling over. (Those of you reading this who take yoga classes with me will get this little joke very well.)
Jon Kabat-Zinn and his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, which he launched at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1979, further describe this as “present heart”. As described by Henna Inam, executive coach & speaker, the present heart is “… the practice of paying careful attention to what is happening in the now, whether it be a sight, a sound, a taste, a smell, a sensation in the body, a thought, or an emotion. It is observation without attachment or judgment.” Aside from this being a beautiful thought, the present heart is practiced, in a way, in yoga communities all over the world. To be on the mat and practicing, we are not only letting go of the thoughts of “stuff” but the emotions of the same stuff. If even for a few moments we are able to focus on the sounds and scents of the room and being still within a particular pose, we find we are letting go of the feelings of something past or future and enjoying a moment of calm. This is a moment where we are not judging, just observing.
The second big parallel I found is that with the routine practices of both mindfulness and yoga come many of the same health benefits, including:
· Boosting the immune system
· Increasing positive emotions while reducing negative emotions
· Reducing stress
· Helping to fight depression and relapses of depression
· Improving focus and memory
· Boosting compassion for self and others
· Helping couples feel more satisfied with their relationship due to a more optimistic outlook
· Reducing pregnancy-related anxiety and stress
· Lowering aggression
· Connecting with self-care as well as the care of others
· Encouraging healthful and mindful eating
· Relieving the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
But, here’s the really cool thing about all of this … you don’t have to meditate or practice yoga to feel the benefits of mindfulness … you simply have to notice, really, really notice your senses in any given moment. Plan your life, of course, but every once in a awhile stop what you are doing and notice the birds chirping, the warmth of the Carolina sun on your skin, the feel of a gentle breeze through your hair, and the smells of the season as you take a deep breath in, and smile as you let the moment linger on the exhale.
Oh, yeah, that’s the good stuff of life. Right there, that moment.
Interested in learning more about stress reduction, mindfulness and yoga?
Please join
RJ Lisander, YT, RYT-500 and Kate Thieda, MS, LPCA, NCC
for a workshop entitled:
Girls on the Run: Stress Management, Mindfulness and Yoga.
The workshop will be held at
Empower-Durham on March 9th at 3:00 pm
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/adm/home.asp?studioid=8802
and again at
Empower-Raleigh on March 12th at 7:00 pm
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/adm/home.asp?studioid=8802
RESOURCES:
· http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition
· http://www.transformleaders.tv/breathe-meditate-lead-ten-ways-mindfulness-practice-can-make-us-better-leaders/
RJ is a member of International Association of Yoga Therapists, Yoga Alliance and is CPR AED certified. RJ holds a 200-hour Prana Flow® teacher certification from Evolve Movement, Raleigh, NC and is working toward her 1000-hour certification in yoga therapy through a combination of intensive study with Joseph and Lillian LaPage at Kripalu and internships. Additionally, RJ holds a Bachelors of Arts in English with a minor in Creative Writing from West Virginia University.
