I have always been fascinated with the idea of meditation and have often wondered how some people appear to have the ability to sit calmly and quietly, focusing on breathing and not much else. But it was one of those things I felt was inaccessible to me. I have a very busy head, filled with excitement and ideas and creations and I can sometimes appear quite unfocused, which I’m actually not especially but my focus is untidy and a little unstructured sometimes and left unchecked, can make me feel very tired.
In May last year, I went away for a week to enable me to have some space to write, away from the distractions of daily life with a company called Serenity Retreat where I met a lovely woman called Anne who was running a Course there on Mindful Meditation. This was the first time I heard about it and I was stunned that I could even participate in short 10 minute group meditations without completely distracting myself.
I have gently and slowly built upon this introduction over the last few months. Mindfulness is about paying attention to purpose, having awareness, being conscious. I had never been able to deal with my continuing thoughts through meditation, but Mindfulness just acknowledges them in a non-judgemental way. They are not good or bad. But by awareness of them and redirecting awareness away from negative thoughts and using an anchor to bring thought back to, their effect on our lives diminishes and we can then create a space where calmness and contentment can be and can grow.
I often joke that I need to be a Massage Therapist as it’s the only time that I stop, mentally stop and become very purposeful and ‘in the moment’ about what I’m doing. I have become very aware that I Massage in a mindful way. I am completely focused on the person I am working with and what I am actually doing, the purpose, and this is even more true when I use Reiki. I also have some CD’s with short 10 minutes mediations on that I use for myself and also with my clients during a massage (as an introduction) and I have found, even in this very early stage of bringing mediation into my life, very helpful and centring.
Here are some suggestions if you’re looking to create some space in your mind away from negative harmful thoughts.
- Find out about mindfulness and see if it resonates with you at all. Hugh Poulton runs courses in Oxfordshire which, although I haven’t been on one, I’m reliably informed are amazing and life transforming!
- Try out some CD’s. Sometimes it’s just about finding a voice that you can relax to. I have a mix of accents and of male and female…you have to feel comfortable.
- Become purposeful and aware in your every day activities. For example, don’t just eat, eat consciously. Don’t just walk, walk and know that you are aware of walking and what your body is actually doing to make this happen.
- Become aware of your breathing without trying to change it. It’s not about doing it deeply or through the nose or mouth. It’s just about becoming aware…as it is.
I would love to hear about your experiences as mine are very new and from a beginners perspective and please do share about any courses, practitioners or CDs that you have tried and can recommend….Many thanks and please share the love, mindfully!
. . . → Read More: The Mindfulness of Massage
