mindfulness

Mindfulness means paying attention to every moment of our day. Pay attention to the purpose of our actions. Pay attention to every emotion that we feel in the exact moment we feel it. Mindfulness is the next level of awareness.

Being aware of things means “I know”, be mindful of things, instead, means “I know and I’m do something about it”. Let’s take the easy example of eating. We do all sort of thing when we eat, think about tomorrow’s chores, our work, we watch television or talk with someone. In the meantime, as the mind wander, the entire process of eating is lost. Eat should be a pleasure not simply a break from our work or duty.

So, what is mindfulness in the process of eating? Is to pay attention at the whole process while it’s happening. Taste the food flavor, it’s consistency in our mouth.We are used, in ours fast lives, to “rape” the food. We eat as fast as we can, we blend all sorts of flavors in one big ball and we swallow it while we are busy in talking or reading or…both!

Take your time.

Enjoy the process of cooking ( if you cook obviously ) even before eating. Touch the food while preparing it, smell the aroma of it. Then when we have to eat it, do the same. In the process of staying with this experience we discover many things.For example paying attention while eating let you enjoy food most and so you need less food to fill your stomach. Normally we used to ingest more, far more, than we need. Be mindful about you’re lunch and you will be satisfied all afternoon until dinner. Normally we are not even aware that we are missing the experience. Eat is a obvious task and we do it all the time more times a day. So it’s that kind of action that will pass “under the radar”. A mechanical action. But there, in the mechanical actions lies the trick of the mind. A mechanical action allow us to wander and let our thoughts run wild. So in that case, when the mind wander, you will put her back in the experience. In the moment. Because you’re not only aware that your mind is running while but, with a mindful approach, you will do something about it and you will enjoy you’re present moment. This example can be used with everything that we do or feel and the mindfulness will grow and expand if used constantly. With high degree of mindfulness our life will not be missed, we will enjoy every moment even the most boring duty-task or the daily automatic actions we do.

Take your time.