Have you ever heard about mindfulness? Although different, the term refers to a technique that has been used for more than two thousand years in Buddhist psychology. Furthermore, it has received increasing attention from scientists and psychologists around the world.
Mindfulness is a type of meditation that focuses your attention on what is happening at the moment, such as paying attention to a book or a conversation. Also called mindfulness, this methodology has brought significant changes to practitioners.
If you still don’t know very well what we’re talking about, don’t worry: we’ve prepared this post to explain this practice and what benefits it can bring. Check out!
Understand what mindfulness is
Mindfulness, or full attention, is a practice of concentrating on what is happening in the present moment. Basically, it is when the person becomes aware of movements, situations, breathing and everything involved with themselves.
This technique brings full awareness of what your body is doing, deactivating the “autopilot”. To achieve the expected result, you need to learn the meditation style and work on the discipline of staying in the present.
Mindfulness has become a very common practice among those seeking focus and positive results, as it is possible to increase the ability to control the mind and, at the same time, become more creative and dynamic.
Discover the origin of the technique
This meditation became popular in the 1970s, when biomedical scientist Jon Kabat-Zinn began using it in his stress reduction clinic. However, Jon discovered the technique after attending a lecture given by a Zen Buddhist missionary, where he learned about mindfulness and began his journey in studying the area.
Despite having roots in Buddhism, mindfulness is independent of beliefs and religions, as the practice has become an essential tool for combating stress and anxiety. Furthermore, it has promoted high doses of well-being and satisfaction for those who adapt to meditation.
After Kabat-Zinn learned the method, he founded his clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, adapting the teachings. He ended up developing his own therapeutic intervention methodology, called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
From then on, mindfulness began to be practiced and appreciated by other scholars and practitioners of meditation — and not for nothing, as its practice brings countless advantages to its followers.
Discover the benefits of practicing mindfulness
Mindfulness can change a person’s life, offering several benefits to the body and mental health.
Reduction of stress and anxiety
Mindfulness can be applied anywhere and anytime you want. For this reason, it is a strong ally in combating stress and anxiety — after all, meditation helps to relax the body and relieve the burden of everyday life.
You should just stay focused on the present, paying maximum attention to what you are doing, including even your own breathing. By doing this constantly, you will see situations more clearly, having the opportunity to change your way of thinking and lead a lighter, more peaceful life.
Decrease in dispersion
With more focus and attention, your mind is less likely to wander, as your capacity for dedication to tasks will be greater and more efficient. As a result, small distractions that could be frequent are reduced, allowing you to complete your activities with more precision and agility.
Control of emotional state
A state of mindfulness allows your consciousness to constantly relate to everything that occurs inside you — even if it is connected to the external world. This way of remaining aware helps control emotional reactions.
It is possible to be aware of situations and react with more control to what arises in your mind or around you, without losing the ability to correspond to reality and maintain full control of your emotions.
Memory development
When you start to concentrate and control your mind more, you automatically make it work in your favor, developing your memory better. As it captures all external stimuli, ranging from sounds and images to olfactory and tactile perceptions, it becomes easier to begin to acquire more adequate and efficient brain functioning.
Appreciation of the moment
The rush of everyday life ends up making people not appreciate the present, letting good moments slip away. However, when you start practicing mindfulness meditation, you will realize that even routine activities are not what you imagine.
The technique will change the way you see and accept things. This will make it easier to realize that every minute is an opportunity to do something different and more beneficial. This way, you will gain more independence to accept the things that are not possible to change and transform everything else into a new chance to start over.
Learn to practice mindfulness
The state of mindfulness is achieved through meditation and specific exercises. Therefore, it is important to choose carefully which ways to start mindfulness, as it is necessary for your body and head to remain relaxed, minimizing the noise around you.
You can start with a simple coloring book, as it encourages creativity and features intricate and detailed drawings enough to hold your attention and stimulate your focus.
You can also sit in a comfortable, quiet place, observing your body and the sensations that arise with your breathing and contact with the wind. When you notice that your mind has wandered, return your attention back to the act of breathing. Do this for a few minutes and, as you gain experience, increase the meditation time.
It’s important to stay calm and understand that the beginning will be more difficult. Over time, exercises become simpler and even more enjoyable.
Mindfulness is a practice that can be done at all times, in all activities of your day, and is here to change your life and mind, allowing you to feel better about yourself and the world around you. So, try this technique and enjoy all the advantages mentioned above.