Mindfulness the act of maintaining a non-judgemental state of awareness of our thoughts, feelings, emotions and the surrounding environment on a moment to moment basis. Being fully present aware of what we’re doing and not overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
Mindfulness is something that we all have, we were born with it and we can access it at any time. Our challenge is that we live in a world which is helping us to become disconnected from ourselves and the people around us. We filter and distort reality and we believe it is real.
This disconnection from who we are and what is happening plays havoc with our thoughts, feelings and emotions. There is no blame to be apportioned, it’s just how we’ve been conditioned. Overtime we can find ourselves over reacting to life, as opposed to responding to life and all that it throws at us.
A good way to highlight this point is through a classic tale which illuminates different ways of paying attention. An elder is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside all of us.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The grandfather simply replied, “The one you feed.
Our thoughts can be our own worst
enemy. That is if we let them. Think about how you may be “feeding” your
negative thoughts by allowing them to rule your mind. Next time you have a
negative thought, catch it and ask yourself, “What is this thought doing for
me?” You will find that it only serves to disempower you. You can immediately
feel more empowered by focusing on something good in your life and
cultivate the practice of gratitude.
This is what mindfulness can help you do. It allows
you to see your thoughts and feelings as they are beginning, not after you’ve
gotten overwhelmed. It’s very powerful to know what you’re feeling as you’re
feeling it. Know what you’re thinking as you’re thinking it. You can choose
what will strengthen and bring it into action and you can choose what you
gently let go of. You don’t have to be at the mercy of old habits or old ways
of thinking or being.
You are empowered, it just takes practice.
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