Mindfulness: The Benefits of Full Attention
The term mindfulness simply means being open and still. It is about fully participating in the present moment. It is about learning to be flexible and aware. This state of awareness does not only come from sitting very still but it also means that we are fully alert. To practice mindfulness, simply be observing the act of making room for ourselves, by thinking about what we are doing and saying, a person fully present in the moment, an observing mind.
Some types of meditation and exercises to help develop this state of awareness. By practicing these kinds of meditation and exercises, we can develop our ability to pay attention and to become more flexible. These meditation and exercises should not be practiced on their own without any help. Instead, we should take advantage of guided meditation or guided imagery in order to help us to practice mindfulness. Guided mediation involves the use of a professional to provide guidance and to facilitate the process of meditation. There are many different guided meditation techniques and one of them are breathing meditation.
Breathing exercises are important forms of meditation because they help us to develop the sense of fullness, calmness and serenity. In fact, some practitioners refer to the process of meditation as mindfulness activities. The mind cannot be contemplated if there are too many things that bother us or if we have excessive thoughts. Thus, guided meditation helps us to maintain a state of mindfulness by regulating the breathing, relaxing our muscles and reducing stress.
Meditation and other mindfulness activities are based on the natural tendency of our brains to respond to events as they occur rather than in a fast or shallow way. For example, our brains naturally scan the environment as fast as it can when we are alarmed. We do this in order to determine threats and in a fast manner. However, as the situation unfolds slowly, the brain goes into a state of relaxation and can become almost calm. This is why meditation can be considered as a form of slow brain exercise.
Walking meditation is another form of slow brain activity that practitioners can engage in. To engage in this activity, you have to set aside time when you won't be interrupted. You can either set aside 30 minutes for a walk in the park or you can set aside a longer time for walking meditation. The key is to keep your eyes and mind on the present moment and you shouldn't feel the need to multitask.
Another form of mindfulness exercise is distraction-free walking. The idea behind distraction-free walking is to be able to observe your surroundings without becoming distracted by the sensation of pain or the sensation of hunger. You want to be able to observe your surroundings without becoming distracted by your sensations. If you are mindful of pain, the sensation of pain will pass by itself so you don't become distracted from being mindful of the fact that you are walking.
Practicing breathing exercises has also been shown to be beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety. For example, taking few deep breaths when you feel anxious can significantly reduce the stress and anxiety you experience throughout your day. Some people use meditation to focus their minds on a certain activity (such as counting from one to five while speaking) while they are sitting. Taking some conscious breathing while speaking to yourself about a hobby or pleasant memory can be another method of practicing mindfulness and bringing about a more relaxed state of mind.
Lastly, another great way to practise mindfulness and bring about a state of relaxation and calmness is to practise one task at a time. When you are fully focused on one task, you are less likely to be distracted by other tasks going on around you. Practicing one task for a period of time will enable you to focus fully on one task. You may find this method of practicing mindfulness to be very effective in dealing with the many stressful factors that we face in our lives.
