ith the current pandemic context, the world of work has been undergoing major structural changes that require greater self-care. With this, the practice of mindfulness has gained importance by providing moments of pause that allow us to turn off the autopilot and slow down the acceleration caused by the frenzy of daily life.
Those who are beginning the practice of mindfulness should bear in mind that it becomes more effective when there is a real change in lifestyle. Its effectiveness is greater the more this practice is integrated into the daily routine. This does not mean that we have to start meditating necessarily every day when we wake up or go to bed. Not at all! Rather, it is crucial to get back to basics. And the basics, the starting point and the true origin of our being, is nothing other than breathing: our anchor which ties us to the present moment and disconnects us from what lies behind and what lies ahead.
When we stop to feel our breathing more consciously, we can better hear a hidden noise or the silence of a look; we can sense the sweetest aromas, camouflaged behind the polluting smells that surround us; we can better perceive the softer or rougher touch of the different textures that encircle us; we can better feel the taste that is left over from that chocolate we enjoyed after our lunch coffee and we can see with new eyes the natural beauty of the usual places on our way home.
When we stop to feel our breathing more consciously, we can better hear a hidden noise or the silence of a look; we can sense the sweetest aromas, camouflaged behind the polluting smells that surround us; we can better perceive the softer or rougher touch of the different textures that encircle us; we can better feel the taste that is left over from that chocolate we enjoyed after our lunch coffee and we can see with new eyes the natural beauty of the usual places on our way home.
This focus on the present moment is urgent. This ability to take pleasure from the sensations that come to us through our senses is essential! Although thoughts are always flowing in our mind, all it takes is to accept them. Let us not fight against them, let us not judge them, let us not avoid them…
Let's simply put thoughts more to the side, without giving them much importance. They may be hovering around us and we don't control that, but it is in our control to decide whether we want to focus our attention on the thoughts or the breathing. Of course it is a challenge initially but with continued practice, we learn to shift the focus of attention to the breathing. Thoughts continue to float but we don't hold onto them, and they gradually become hazier until they dissipate. Thus, a thought or a worry will only bother us if we feed it. In other words, when thoughts lose their strength because of the weak attention they receive, they start appearing in our mind less frequently and only for brief seconds until they fade away. So whenever we feel our mind wandering, we can simply accept these thoughts and redirect our attention to the movements of the breathing, which will always be there to guide us back within.
When we practise abdominal breathing more slowly and consciously, our body renews itself and adjusts its GPS. Our greatest fears are diluted, courage grows, forgiveness emerges and it becomes easier to make peace with the past and accept an uncertain future. So the focus is solely on observing what is happening here and now.
References:
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2012). Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment and Your Life.
Sounds True Inc. Colorado.
Williams, M. & Penman, D. (2015). Mindfulness - Atenção Plena. Lua de Papel.
