Getting Started with Mindfulness

What is different between Mind full & Mindful? Mind full is one’s mind is full. Then filled with different things (responsibility, family things, work). Mindful is one must leave this moment. (What am I doing? What am I here?)

Living mindful means living in the present and waking up to the present rather than thinking about the past or anticipating the future. Mindfulness is the basic human ability to fully appear, to be aware of where we are and what we do, and not to overreact or to be overwhelmed by what is happening around us.

Mindfulness is something that is natural to all of us, and we can get it more easily when we practice it daily. When you make one’s mind aware of what you are experiencing directly through one’s senses or through one’s thoughts and emotions, you are conscious. As you train one’s brain to stay conscious, research is growing that shows that you are redesigning the physical structure of one’s brain.

“Mindfulness is?the awareness?that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally” Kabat- Zinn. The last part of that definition, non-judgment, means abandoning the automatic judgments that arise in one’s mind with each experience you experience.

“If you want to fly in the sky, you need to leave the earth. If you want to move forward, you need to let go the past that drags you down.” Amit Ray

Explaining the meaning of “letting go of the past” We can show passengers several definitions.

The first idea is to let go of painful memories and painful thoughts, harmful desires, and unhealthy habits. That is, to stop engaging in painful memories and to focus on the present. When you forget the past, you can begin to accept the present. It also means thinking about the past or worrying about the future.

Abandonment means separation from anything that makes one suffer or unhappy. It means a lack of commitment and not being involved in things that you do not care about or that you are suffering from. You do your best at every stage of your life, but if things do not go as planned, do not rely on them. Do not be discouraged.

When you lift the anchor of a ship, the ship moves in the direction of the wind. If you want to move forward, you must release your painful thoughts, negative habits, fears, and anxieties. It takes some emotional separation to let go of the past and release it from one’s mind.

Unless the ship's anchor is removed, it will be difficult to navigate. If you do not let go of your past like that, you will not be free from your painful memories, jealousy, and bad relationships. There is a limit to yourself. It makes you stressed. That's like being in a swamp and doing nothing to get out.

on the other hand, Abandonment, brings you separation from distressing causes, relief, ease, and love. Abandonment is a very valuable thing according to Buddhism, but to a few, it may seem strange. This may seem difficult to do, but it can be done with some training.

E.g. If a garment is old, torn, or of no use to you, you do not need to hold it. You go and get a new one.

Tips for letting go

01) Accept how you feel: Observe how you think and feel and accept where you are. Accept its positive and negative experiences. While this can be difficult at times, we should try to absorb less of the positive and negative aspects of each experience and see life as a multitude of different experiences instead. Stopping each identification is helpful and helps to take a step back and move forward.

02) Living in the here and now: Learning to be more present not only through our body but also in the present moment is the key to our life. Recognize that everything we have is in the moment, that everything we experienced even a few seconds ago is already a dream, and that what we are going to experience in the future is a dream.

03) Forgive: Forgiveness is simply a word that is easier said than done. When you think about forgiving those who have hurt you, even if they do not deserve your forgiveness, It is important to understand that forgiveness is not for the other person but for us Forgiveness allows you to let go of what has happened and then move on. Self-forgiveness is the realization that wrongdoing is right.

04) Recognition training: We must go back and understand that the past cannot be changed. Spending too much time living in the past and thinking too much about what should or should not happen allows the past to control you. Begin to accept what your pain is. There is nothing you can do to change what has already happened. All you can do is let go and move on.

05) Create time for things that make you happy: It is normal to feel lost in the pain. If you have forgotten what makes you happy, it is time to remind yourself. Make a list of new hobbies, things you like to do or things one like to try.

06) Try to meditation: Meditation can help you get rid of excessive thoughts, allow people to heal, and heal from trauma. In meditation, you should focus on your breath and calm your mind. It is learning to be present in the present without being connected to the past.

“Letting go is the process of freeing yourself from obsessing thoughts and unhappy feelings.”

“The goal of mindfulness is to wake up to the inner workings of our mental, emotional, and physical processes.”

Mindfulness Meditation

Meditation is exploration. It is not a fixed destination. That is the art of giving up all efforts without doing anything to relax in your true nature of love, joy, and peace. The skill of systematically establishing mindfulness can be developed through the use of meditation techniques described in detail in the Buddhist tradition. Meditation practice gives you deep relaxation. It is essential to reduce stress and maintain good mental health. Meditation studies have found that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation also changes our brains and redirects us to more positive thoughts and emotions.

The word "mindfulness" is derived from the Pali word sathi, which is an essential component of Buddhist practice, including Vipassana, Satipatthna and Aanapanasati. Week means focusing on what you are doing. Mindfulness is a technique derived from Buddhism in which one seeks to see present thoughts and feelings without judgment.

The benefits of meditation are varied - calm mind, concentration, good concentration, clarity of thought and feeling, balanced emotions in stressful situations, improved communication skills, the birth of new skills and abilities, unwavering inner strength, healing power, and ability. The ability to connect to an internal energy source, relax, rejuvenate, and even attract luck! All of these are natural effects of regular meditation practice.

?“The goal of meditation is to be calm, stress-free, healthy, and happy. Meditation helps maintain good physical, mental, and emotional health.”

Meditation can protect the aging brain from degeneration

If a simple meditation practice, find a place that offers a comfortable seat and keep your feet comfortable. Keep your upper body straight without stiffening. Keep your hands on your legs. Instead of focusing on what you see in front of your eyes, focus on the physical sensation of breathing as the air passes through your nose or mouth, rising and falling on your stomach or chest. Notice as your mind wanders through your breath. When you feel your mind wandering, focus your attention on the slow breath. Take a moment and observe any noise in the environment. See how your body feels now. Focus on your thoughts and feelings. Then come back to your breath again and again.

Mindfulness is a meditation-based practice consisting of the exercise of focusing on the present. The most important benefits of mindfulness are: Improved ability to manage stress, improved emotional regulation: reduced emotionality (without thinking), improved child behavior (error, suspension), enhanced emotional intelligence: improved conflict resolution skills, empathy and understanding of others Increased, increased resilience (increased ability to overcome challenges), improved physical well-being, enhanced creativity, and collaboration.

?How to practice mindfulness? Before getting started, it is important to know the various aspects of mindfulness and learn how to practice it. Be aware: Be fully focused on the present moment, that is, on what is happening here and now. Being aware of what is going on in the moment and what is going on in the mind. Observe: Simply observe what you see. Accept: Thoughts that may cause rejection or disgust will appear. However, it tries to accept the thoughts and allow them to do the same.Do not judge: Avoid judging the thoughts that appear in the mind or a positive or negative reaction. Release: Giving up means giving up what is left without trying to retain it. Understand that everything is impermanent. Understanding that everything has a beginning, a time and an end. Confidence: Faith consists of believing in yourself, your own feelings, and your own intellect and wisdom.

Values Of Mindfulness: Good for our bodies and mind, Improves our memory and attention skills, Fosters compassion and altruism, Enhances relationships, Helps mental health care, and Improve positive emotions and feelings.

References

Cherry, K. (2021, Octomber 15). Verry well mind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-mindfulness-5205137

Kappagoda, D. S. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://efms.rjt.ac.lk/mod/resource/view.php?id=11921

Psychology today. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/mindfulness

Sasson, R. (n.d.). Personal Development. Retrieved from https://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/personal-development/letting-go-of-the-past/

By:- 
Ms. PGPU Gunathilake
Undergraduate 
Department of Human Resource Management
Faculty of Management Studies
Rajarata University of Sri Lanka