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Mindfulness In another article I talked about slowing down. I’ll follow with a few words on a closely related subject; mindfulness. While mindfulness has its origins in Eastern philosophy and is at the heart of Buddhist meditation, a religious component is certainly not necessary and anyone with any belief system can practice it. And you would be wise to consider it because practicing mindfulness has thus far been found to be helpful in coping with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, sleep problems, eating disorders, stress and pain management. Essentially, mindfulness is the practice of becoming intentionally and non-judgmentally aware of your thoughts and actions in the present moment. It generally involves a heightened awareness of sensory stimuli (e.g., really noticing your breathing, feeling the sensations of your body, etc.) and being "in the now." Simply focusing on the present moment and quieting your inner dialogue can help you attain mindfulness. Meditation is certainly a way to achieve mindfulness, but you can practice it at any time. You can be mindful while doing anything simply by bringing your mind to focus on what is happening in the present moment and not noticing your mind’s usual “commentary”. For example, pay attention to your breathing or environment while at a red light. When going to sleep or waking up, take some mindful breathes instead of replaying the day or planning the new one. Concentrate on a routine experience, such as brushing your teeth, answering the phone, or buckling your seatbelt. You can use naturally occurring events to cue you to return to mindfulness, such as the hourly chimes of clocks, red lights at traffic intersections, and crossing the threshold of doors. The noble goal is to make mindfulness essentially continuous. So, once again, just…slow…down. Be…mindful…in the now. And reap the health benefits. John Holt
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