Mindfulness | Flash Post 348

What’s that?

Mindfulness is a very favourite word I’ve lately learnt and I find it fascinating.

Why is that?

Ever since I started dating depression and started seeing a psychologist, my sessions now revolve around that word very often. The dictionary puts it as “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting ones feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.”

Too highbrow for me. Can you simplify that please?

Well, put simply, it’s being aware of the now and not letting your mind wander. If you we’re listening to music or reading a book, perhaps, mindfulness would be the art of listening to the music or reading that book and being aware of your feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations in that state. The opposite of mindfulness is mindlessness which is being on autopilot where your mind is all over the place.

Is mindfulness similar to meditation?

You can say that.

But meditation is not easy.

It’s not but over a period of time and with regular practice, it’s achievable.

If our minds didn’t wander, how would we dream? Dreams also help us achieve what we want. People dream of being a musician, a dancer, an actor, a poet, a doctor or an engineer. Most people achieve their dreams. Had they not dreamed, wouldn’t they be floating around aimlessly and become unhappy?It could even turn us into boring people? Dreaming takes us into a world of make-belief that can be very exciting. Wouldn’t our lives be unexciting and staid if we didn’t dream?

Button, I understand what you are trying to say and love dreaming too but I am not talking about that. Who wouldn’t want to dream! I am talking about a therapeutic technique.

Can’t we do both? Not simultaneously perhaps but at different times!

Can’t say you can’t.

10 Comments

Mohit Vashisht February 14, 2019 at 11:19 am

I have tried meditation but it is very tough…my mind is toooooo restless and then it gets frustrating because everytime you try and focus, some other rubbish thought comes into my mind…but I have heard it is very effective for people with anxiety and even depression…

Reply
- author February 17, 2019 at 12:40 pm
  
  Dear Mohit,
  
  Try an app called Headspace. I use it and find it extremely helpful.
  
  Do let me know what you think if you ever try it out. Meditation is not only helpful for those with anxiety and depression but a means to an end.
  
  Reply
Sheena Paintal February 14, 2019 at 11:36 am

I would recommend meditation and practising mindfulness to every person in this community. It helps to keep all the bad voices away and focus on the positive and the here and now. In this day and age, this is the need of the hour else we will all go mad with all the noise and negativity around us…

Reply
- author February 17, 2019 at 12:45 pm
  
  Dear Sheena,
  
  You are absolutely right. In this day and age, with all the negativity, greed, backstabbing and inhumanity around us, meditation and practising mindfulness can salvage the situation somewhat.
  
  Reply
vivek purohit February 14, 2019 at 11:52 am

Calm won best app of the year…it is for meditation…you all should try it out..

Reply
- author February 17, 2019 at 12:57 pm
  
  Dear Vivek,
  
  I use an app called Headspace as suggested by my psychologist and it’s a good app. Have you tried this?
  
  Reply
k vishwanath February 18, 2019 at 7:24 am

Strange that it’s called mindfulness when actually the attempt is to keep one’s mind empty and decluttered…beautiful word though

Reply
- author February 20, 2019 at 11:06 am
  
  Dear K Vishwanath,
  
  Mindfulness is all about being aware or conscious of something and keeping your mind decluttered but not about keeping it vacant.
  
  It’s a beautiful word though.
  
  Reply
cassandra gonsalves February 18, 2019 at 7:51 am

My morning routine hasn’t changed in 17 years. I wake up in the morning, make myself and my husband some strong coffee and both of us just sit in the verandah for an hour, sometimes longer, and stare out into the sky. We hardly ever exchange a word. We see the sunrise and we try and keep our minds as empty and focus on the quiet of the morning before Bombay wakes up and gets noisy. It’s the best part of our day. If this is called mindfulness, I would recommend it to all of you.

Reply
author February 20, 2019 at 11:14 am

My dear Cassandra,

That’s wonderful. Somehow we are made to feel that when two people get together, conversation must take lace. It’s quite the opposite as two people who understand each other can spend hours watching a sunrise or hearing the pitter-patter of the rain without uttering a word and being mindful about it. Silence is a beautiful experience.

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