Written by: Mandy Turnbull, SN BSN–TRU Yr. 4
So you’ve seen the posters around campus, you’ve heard people talk about it on the bus and, perhaps, you’ve entertained the idea of going to a yoga or meditation class. If you’re already well versed with the idea of inner peace, that’s wonderful, but for all of you who love the idea of having a peaceful life and only regard it as a future, once-school-is-done type of goal, take a moment and read on…it could change your life.
Mindfulness, what an interesting concept. Many would argue they are mindful…of all life’s demands, all their responsibilities and pressures, not to mention attempting to have some fun and let loose in there somewhere. In the last image above it shows a spectrum of a person’s state of mind, in the past, present or future. This is one of the main concepts of mindfulness; living actively in the present and all its experiences, being aware of feelings and thoughts but refusing to let them steal your joy from the present moment. You may be thinking, “well that’s a very nice idea but there is no way I can just ignore all the crap and be happy…it’s just not realistic”. This writer will admit, I, too, felt similarly when I was first introduced to the idea of mindfulness and meditation but I can tell you, it has made a large difference in my life and I hope you will allow yourself the idea, even, of being happy, content, and at peace. Therefore, I have outlined some of the basics of mindfulness below.
First of all, before reading each aspect and trying to figure out how to integrate it into your life, keep in mind, mindfulness is a way of living…not simply a practice. We practice mindfulness as part of having a mindful, complete and content life. See each of these as an ingredient and work on each…doing them properly, you will find your outlook on life and how you move through it will change.
Focus on the present moment. Trying to ignore thoughts of the past or future and allowing your thinking to drift back to the present…what is happening right now? Lao Tzu once said, “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”
Being fully present. Take a moment. Slow down. Where are you? What are you hearing? smelling? tasting? feeling? A walk or run in the sunshine does this for me almost every time. It’s easy to listen to the birds, feel the warmth of the sun on your face, smell the crisp air… Even simply doing some deep breathing can bring you back to the present.
Openness to experience. This was a tough one for me. Allowing oneself to be aware of thoughts and feelings, experiencing and noticing them instead of shying away from things that we dread, we open ourselves up to new sensations and prevent them from consuming us as we understand the fact they are simply experiences in the moment.
Non-judgement. Stop judging yourself based on your thoughts, categorizing them as good or bad. They are simply thoughts and feelings based on a stimulus that we may choose to act upon. They are not who you are. We have a choice and choosing to be kind to ourselves on the inside will transfer to the way we treat others, too.
Acceptance of things as they are. We cannot control everything and thinking we can brings us negative feelings towards ourselves, or others, when life doesn’t go as we have planned. Being accepting of circumstances, trusting that we will make it through things, that there is always light at the end of a tunnel, helps us in this difficult area but eventually we can extend this acceptance to others.
Connection. Allow yourself to connect with everything and everyone around you. You are part of the network of life, connected to each person you come in contact with, and each thing you experience.
Non-attachment. Life is full of change and it is a constant flow. We must accept this and be aware that being overly attached to things, experiences and people–to the point of suffering–is unhealthy. We need to be able to adapt to life’s constant ebbs and flows.
Peace and equanimity. While much of living in the moment requires us to experience our feelings, thoughts, and all that’s around us, try to be steady and stable in the waves of life, not getting swept up and distracted from the main focus or goal at hand. Part of weathering the storm is being resolute in your own values and morals. Being grateful for what we have helps to remove our focus from the negatives and place it on the positives.
Compassion. Compassion and empathy go hand in hand. Being kind to others, trying to understand what they’re experiencing and how they’re feeling allows us to listen without judging them. This is equally important in the way we treat and think/speak to ourselves.
At the heart of all this, the message, I hope, is clear: be observant and experience all of life around you. Allow it to happen and enjoy all you can in every moment. Being present enriches our overall journey through life and every relationship we have. For myself, I began to slow down, being grateful and counting my blessings whenever I began to feel bitter or negative. I started enjoying quiet moments in meditation, calming my mind and body so that I was ready to tackle the next task of the day. I realized how often my significant other and I sat in tensed silence or quietly unconnected while we were absorbed in our smart phones or homework and how easy it was to take a moment and enjoy each others company before letting ourselves be absorbed by yet another stressful or mind numbing endeavor. I have a long way to go, believe me, but a life full of mindfulness has brought me an awareness of a much fuller, more joyful and peaceful life, indeed.
Campus Resources & Activities.
Check out the Wellness Centre website &/or Facebook page for tips on mindfulness, meditation, and self-care activities on campus (2 FREE mindfulness classes each week). Stop by OM 1479 for a calm atmosphere to have a cup of tea, a quiet moment, or even a friendly chat to de-stress. The campus Counselling Office also has many resources, group sessions, and individual coaching opportunities with a qualified counsellor.
References:
Greenburg, M. (2012). Nine essential qualities of mindfulness. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201202/nine-essential-qualities-mindfulness
Psychology Today. (n.d.). Mindfulness: Present moment awareness. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mindfulness
