Experience inner peace and calm
Improve your relationships and your life
The buildup to the solar eclipse on April 8 generates numerous media stories, speculations, predictions, and even fear-mongering stories here in Texas. My phone news feed daily contains warnings about food and water shortages, runaway pets, gridlock, and power shortages. Some people also believe you should stay inside during an eclipse. However, I feel that an eclipse is a universal event that impacts us wherever we are, inside or out.
Compounding the eclipse energy with the increasing frenzy of an election year, wars, and managing life generally are enough to make a normally calm person anxious. Anxiety is at an all-time high due to situations like the pandemic, opposing points of view, family divides, feelings of isolation, and loneliness. The list goes on and on.
That’s why I practice mindfulness daily. It keeps me sane and calm when I'm overwhelmed and stressed and during the day-to-day tasks I need to manage my life. Since I started a mindfulness practice, my relationships have improved because I have better impulse control and react far less than I have in the past.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of observing what’s in front of you with a neutral point of view. That means not judging your thoughts and your experiences but just observing them. When you are mindful, you notice what you haven’t seen, felt, or heard before.
For example, I’m sitting in a coffee shop. A man next to me is talking loudly on his phone. I could make up a lot about how I’m irritated that he is using the coffee shop as his office, but people have been doing that for years.
I observe that I’m irritated and consider my options. I could leave, but this is the second coffee shop I’ve stopped at. The first had no seats available and a long line. In the end, I decide to use my AirPods and listen to soothing music. It drowns some of the noise, but not all. But I’m not triggered.
How to become mindful
When I sit down to practice mindfulness, I begin by slowly breathing in and out, paying attention to my breath. Slow and deep breathing is grounding and centering.
My goal for a mindfulness practice is to increase my awareness of my body, mind, and spirit. Suspending judgment, even for a few minutes, benefits your mind, body, and spirit in ways you won’t know until you practice mindfulness.
Your thoughts play a role in your journey to mindfulness
Thoughts are just thoughts. After establishing a breathing practice, it’s helpful to start noticing the thoughts that flood your mind. When you notice your thoughts without judging, you become more aware and feel more inner peace.
One question to ask yourself that can immediately calm your mind is, “Are these thoughts true?”
Being able to observe your thoughts without judgment has enormous benefits.
Benefits of a mindfulness practice
You increase your sense of inner calm
You are less reactive
Your thoughts don’t ‘rule’ your actions because you mindfully consider your options instead of reacting impulsively
You become more aware of your body’s needs
You increase your awareness of the subtle energies around you
Ways to develop a mindful practice
Set aside ten or more minutes a day in a place and at a time when you are least likely to be interrupted. Setting a timer or adding mindfulness as a task in your to-do app or list can help.
Close your eyes or leave them open as you wish.
Breathe deeply on the inhale and the exhale. You will feel your body relax. This is good!
When your mind is flooded and overwhelmed with thoughts, see them float away on a cloud or a river raft. You can picture them erased as well. Remember, they are just thoughts.
If something important arises, you can jot it down and return to your breath. If your mind races with things to do, keep practicing. It will eventually learn that this is ‘your time.’
Once you have practiced mindfulness, you will notice opportunities to be mindful and observant daily. Notice what you haven’t noticed before.
How are mindfulness and meditation different?
Mindfulness and meditation can overlap. When I practice mindfulness, I usually focus on my breath and notice my thoughts, body sensations, tension, and discomfort.
In a meditation session, I seek insight from my guides and loved ones in spirit. I often start with mindful breathing and then connect with them.
Which one is best?
If you don’t have a mindfulness or meditation practice, I suggest starting with mindfulness. You will notice that your thoughts will not trigger you as much as you maintain a consistent practice.
And that will be life-changing.
Thank you for reading “The Light in Us.”
May you be peaceful.
May you be calm.
May you be healthy and happy.
May your light shine and illuminate others.
I have been enjoying the Waking Up app with Sam Harris. I start my day with a guided meditation from it, then often listen to a few thoughtful conversations or messages he's recorded with others. I also like Insight Timer. Have you tried either of these? Great post!