How to chase mindfulness on a daily
Breathe, stretch, shake, let it go
When you think of mindfulness, does it sound like a taste reachable by the minuscule means of thinking about it all the time or the opposite? Focusing on the breath can help bring mindfulness into your daily activities without making it a task. Think of it as a way to get through the day in a walking meditation style. Instead of wondrously maneuvering through life, absent of our impact in the world, through breath we can make efforts to be mindful of our body, actions, and thoughts.
As we know, roughly 95% of Thailand’s population is Buddhist, and this is the country often referred to as the “Land of Smiles.” I do not cease to negate that, and I am sure many of us find this to be true. Those of us that have been living here can see how Thai’s have this calm and collected attitude; hence “mai pen rai.” Yet a place so relaxing, opening, creative and evolving can still find its way to push us towards that go-go-go attitude. Thailand is a place for us to continuously or newly find a way to develop a mindfulness practice. We can find the balance to chase our passions and chase mindfulness through the realization of our breath, by being grateful for what we have, but how exactly do we do this?
Buddha understood how we either do one of two things: let our minds control us or we control our minds. He said that we do not have to label a situation, but we can simply observe it and let it be as it is. So when you do not fulfill all your questly duties you had hoped to achieve for the day or if you happen to come across a language/cultural barrier you can reflect back on the mind. The four foundations of mindfulness are: mindfulness of the body, feelings, mind, and dharma. Although mindfulness is associated with the practice of meditation it is still possible to do this without a meditation practice.
Awareness of the body is seeing the body as a vehicle. It must be maintained through a health regimen. I love this word because it is one of the core reasons for survival yet we pay the least attention, but again, the way we breathe plays a huge part and the food we consume meters our happiness. Food nourishes our soul, continuously creating a connection between the mind and body. This allows us to be aware of the body through physical maintenance of self-care. Breathing correctly, eating healthy, and chewing slowly are simple ways for us to appreciate our bodies.
The second foundation of mindfulness is the acknowledgement of our feelings. We can choose to be ruled by our impulses or use our ability to exert self-control in order to achieve long-term goals. This is also known as willpower, and for us to have willpower, we must find discipline, lose the habit of judging ourselves, and others. Feelings should be used as a mechanism for gaining deeper insight about ourselves, to form positive attitudes, and have empathy towards people. Mindfully watching the continuous fluctuation of our feelings whether it be happy, sad, joyful, depressed, or unsure, will allow us to dissolve obsessive thoughts and emotional reactions. Breathe in your feelings, acknowledge them, then let them go.
The third foundation of mindfulness is our realization of the power of the mind. As cliche as it sounds, “you are what you eat,” and “you become your thoughts,” is as true as it gets. We as human beings are full of layers of depth that we never get to reach when we have not trained the mind and dealt with pain. Sensations or emotions come and go, but how we feel about ourselves sticks with us eternally. Sometimes we exhaust ourselves mentally more than physically, and when we begin to train the mind, we realize how insubstantial all of our thoughts really are. Imagine if we gave the same amount of attention to each thought we had. We would never get anything done! So once we begin to slow down the inner-workings of our mind and focus on the present, it becomes much easier to make powerful changes in all forms of consciousness.
The last mindfulness practice is the practice of Dharma, which means “natural law.” Dharma is also referred to as the manifestation of reality which is the connection of mental and external objects. Dharma pulls us back into the focus of reality and one’s own existence when the mind begins to wonder back into a fantasy world. Thoughts are temporary and so are feelings, sensations, situations and all physical objects. When we begin to realize how temporary these feelings, people, situations, and things are we become in tune with the universe’s law of order. We are supposed to live our days like each one is our last, and this will allow us to appreciate all that we have without comparing ourselves to another.
To practice awareness and existence in all things, we begin to appreciate our meaning for life and living. Through training and a few steps of mindful activities, we’ve created a world where we become understanding. With mindfulness at the forefront of our consciousness in everything we do, we take control of our lives by slowing down and taking a glance at the sky or people walking by. So if you aren’t sure how to make an impact in your world and the world around you, just remember to chase mindfulness on a daily.
