This article was taken from Beyond Blue, originally published by Smiling Minds.
A common thing we hear is “I can’t meditate…my mind is too busy, I can’t clear it” – are you one of those people? If yes, keep reading. If no, you might find this interesting anyway…
So what exactly is mindfulness?
Often people think that in order to be truly mindful we have to cleanse our minds of all perceptions or past experiences, halting or controlling our thoughts completely and existing in a chasm of unconditional positivity. This is not the case at all.
Mindfulness does not ask us to stop or control our thoughts, judgements or negative experiences. Rather, it asks that within our experiences, we simply pay attention to what is happening in the moment.
This means allowing the thoughts that are often entangled with judgements, opinions and preferences, to exist exactly as they are, observing them with compassion, awareness and non-judgement.
It is more about intention than anything; being able to turn one’s attention intentionally towards what is happening in the present and embracing this with curiosity, openness and acceptance.
In order to have full and mindful experiences in the present moment, we must firstly understand that we can separate ourselves from our thoughts.
Using strategies, such as taking some time to be still and focusing on the breath, allows us the time to practice this skill, making it easier to incorporate mindfulness into all of our daily experiences.
Start your mindfulness journey with the free Smiling Mind app.
Read the full article at Beyond Blue: What Is Mindfulness?