60 Seconds of Mindfulness

Mindfulness is just a fancy way of saying "paying attention" and can be achieved anywhere. Literally - Anywhere.

If you've invested any time in "The Power Of Now" by Eckhart Tolle, you'll know this to be true (free audiobook below).

Mindfulness is the state of being present or conscious at any given time. You don't need to be 45 minutes deep into an advanced Vinyasa Yoga flow or walk around with a completely empty head to achieve this state. It is simply the state of being in the now.

Human's with 'busy lives' tend to overlook the fact that, in the words of John Lennon, life is what is happening while people are busy making plans. We want to wait until we get that job or that house or that car or take that vacation. Then, and only then, we think we can be truly happy and in the meantime, exhaust ourselves doing work we aren't in love with to earn money to pay for these things that essentially feed our unsatisfactions about life. We just want more, never truly content with what we have. Once we get that car, the novelty will wear off and we'll want a better one. Once we have that house, we''l look for things wrong with it in order to justify our plans to buy a bigger or 'better' one. We're busy doing all these things to distract ourselves from the here and now. We are called Human Beings not Human Doings after all. Why can't we just be happy here in the present moment? It really is the only moment that exists, Time in that sense, is but an illusion. The past is gone, it doesn't exist anymore and the future is not here yet. Neither exist. As we can't predict the future, there's really no harm in NOT worrying about it. The present moment is all there ever is.

"Wherever You Go - There You Are" - John Kabat-Zinn

I find 60 seconds is generally all the time it takes for me to become aware of the present moment. Maybe not significantly, but it sure is a start to those coming around to type of thinking that doesn't just make room for genuine presence i.e. awareness, but to also accept any thought or feeling that passes through the awareness and neutralises it so that no judgement is made on that thought or feeling but wholey accepts that - the present is as it is, the thoughts are as they are as are the feelings. The essence of true acceptance.

Try more time if you like, close your eyes for a second, take a deep breath in and really concerntrate on that breath. Clear your thoughts and just focus on your breath. Feel the sensations in your finger-tips as you fill your lungs with air and open up your chest space. As you allow exhale in your breath, open your eyes slowly and take a good look at your surroundings. How are things placed? Are you inside/outside? What do you feel? How is the temperature? Are you in a positive or negative state?

The last question is sometimes a tough one. The present moment does not reserve any judgement and in order to be fully present you must be free of judgement. Accepting things as they are. Not wanting to change anything but to know that everything is as it should be. This is Being.

If you're feeling slightly negative, don't judge it - just graciously accept it. This is okay. However you feel is okay because it is how you feel. It doesn't mean you'll always feel negative, it just means you'll make no effort to fight it right now but instead let it flow through, and hopefully away from you. If you're feeling positive then becoming aware and being mindful in the present moment will help you channel your positive energy and circulate it within and without your body.

You can practice mindfulness absolutely anywhere; in the queue at the supermarket, taking a walk in the park, a busy coffee shop, in the comfort of your own home... Personally I like to practice mindfulness the second I feel like 'I don't have time'. Taking a deep breath and just accepting things as they are let's me see that I have more than enough time and if I can't empty my entire to-do basket - that's okay. I am no longer scared of running out of time - during the day or in life. Life is as it is.

Mindfulness is a great tool for personal & spiritual development too because it allows you to become fully aware of your feelings which, in turn, give you an indication or your emotions on a surface level and those of a much deeper level. You can notice patterns in your feelings and make direct contact with the source of them. This allows you to accept on much more meaningful levels to you. Mindfulness knows no bounds; Today you're accepting that your house isn't pristine, tomorrow you may accept that you've a habit of perfectionism, the day after that you may even accept that those around you do not need to meet with your high and unrealistic expectations. You might see how this kind of thinking enables you to make realisations and iron out small (sometimes even pretty hefty) creases.

Mindfulness may start with 60 seconds, it may even begin with 60 minutes. The most important thing to remember about mindfulness is that it should begin right NOW. That's the only time there is.

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Written by Charlotte Deverill