Mindfulness

Mindfulness.
Is it too trendy already, are you skeptical? Are you always skeptical over trendy things..avoiding trendy things because they are..well, trendy.

I typically think this way until I discovered the magic and simplicity of meditation and mindfulness.

Read this slowly. 
Mindfulness: "the act of bringing your full attention to the present moment on purpose"

Just beautiful. 

Have you had those moments where you're present but not really present. As if your mind slipped into autopilot. Or even finding yourself overstimulated. I know, I get it. I have run two small yet successful and demanding business out of my home, while most importantly caring for the needs of my three small children, furthering my education, attempting to keep a clean and happy home, and strengthening my marriage. It's exhausting. Wonderful, yet exhausting. Every time we or I switch focus from one thing to another there is something called a switch cost, where the brain stumbles a bit and requires time to get back to where it was before it was distracted.

While my first experiences in mindfulness was not as successful as I had hoped, over time and with more practice, the number of uplifting discoveries and moments of personal revelation and stillness occur frequently throughout my day. Through mindful living your mind will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted. What seemed tedious at first has changed into a wondrous practice.

As a young mom I found this quest for quiet time rare and found although wonderful noise, still continuous noise through my home. Being busy in wonderful uplifting things is in no way a bad thing, hearing my children scream and giggle, running from soccer to dance, to the park and library, grocery store and post office... serving my church and community, making dinner and running a happy home.... life is good when it's busy... but to find time for silence is better.

We all will find our quiet time in different ways. We will all feel at peace at different times. The point is to find it. Find what calms your mind and allows the spirit to speak to your heart. If you can't find it, make it. Make time and make it a priority to work on you and your relationship with the universe.

In this day and in this world most likely it will be having to consciously MAKE time. Most of us are expected to do and accomplish so much in so little time. With all the pressure to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time and the constant feeling of needing to please everyone and excel in everything. The thought to MAKE time to simply stop sounds silly. In fact I find in some situations people wear over-stimulation as a badge of honor. The beauty however is there when we put down our juggling balls for a few moments and embrace mono-tasking. The mindfulness we give to the spirit and to listen to the quiet moments we have.

What we do out of the silence and the application of mindfulness in our daily life is when the wondrous practice begins to form.  

Some days you may see me, a busy mom, most likely hustling the kids from one thing to the next, tapping on my phone in reply to some new and urgent demand, or at the grocery store in a panic picking up food for dinner because I have been to busy running around all day to prepare anything. And then some days you may find me out pushing my kids in the swing at the park, I am doing something remarkable. I am not looking at my phone, I am not listening to a podcast in one ear, I am simply pushing my children in the swing. Mindful of the moment and grateful to God for his plan of happiness. For the opportunity I have to be a mother and for the moments I stand and be still in gratitude. Giving the Lord and the universe my full attention, Philosopher Simone Weil said "attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity." And there in attention to the Lord and my blessings, my children, my husband and even my trials... is where my wondrous practice is forming. 


Mindful living is not an all or nothing extreme. Its a life long project, a consistency in practice. 

Call to action:
Take a few deep breaths through out your day and catch yourself in a small moment being present. Washing the dishes or preparing your lunch. Be present in the moment and breath. Focus on the sounds, smells and the texture of touch in the objects your working with. If your mind wonders, or should I say when (because that is normal) notice the thoughts and gently and graciously let them go and come back to the moment. 


XOXO
Ash