“In today’s rush, we all think too much – seek too much – want to much – and we forget about the joy of just being.” – Eckhart Tolle

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Some people view mindfulness as a means by which to gain short-term relief from anxiety, depression or stress, while other presume mindfulness to be a cure for health problems or a recipe for inner peace and enhanced concentration.

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However, while mindfulness can support these common social issues, the primary aim of mindfulness practice is not to achieve any of these. Mindfulness is an Eastern practice to train our mind. It is a practice that cultivates sustained conscious wakefulness or presence. It is a life discipline for raising awareness of the present moment, of ‘what is’.

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Practicing mindfulness is like building up a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Only rather than building up a muscle, practicing mindfulness strengthens our mind.

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In Eastern culture, the mind is not merely about thoughts and beliefs, as we perceive it in the West. Rather, the mind is the conscious awareness itself. We may bring awareness into our thinking so we can critique our thoughts with accuracy. In mindfulness, the mind is not thought, but rather, conscious awareness, so mindfulness encourages us to learn from our own experience.

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Mindfulness is a life-enhancing practice that enables us to expand our conscious awareness and general presence. Mindful awareness allows us to become more sensitive to what is occurring in the present moment, both within ourselves and also in the outside world.

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Mindfulness can be defined as intentionally bringing awareness to the present moment in a non-judgmental way. This skill is developed through engaging with systematic training in regular meditation practices, and also bringing mindful awareness and acceptance into daily life and work.

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Mindfulness is based on meditation practices from ancient spiritual traditions, but is universal in nature. For thousands of people all around the world, from all religions and nationalities, mindfulness practice helps nurture inner peace, improve concentration and general well-being.

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Mindfulness is commonly held in high professional regard for its physical, mental and emotional health benefits. As children, most of us are taught how to remember information and store knowledge in school. However, not all of us are taught how to strengthen our mind and resultantly manage our thinking.

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The practice of training our mind expands our ability to detach from thought, emotion and body sensation enough to witness them. In turn, this allows us to better regulate our emotions, train our brains to focus more efficiently and teach our bodies to de-stress when we lose our focus. 

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When we master the mindfulness practice we often do find relief from anxiety or depression, cure health problems alongside creating a far deeper sense of inner peace and disciplined concentration.

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The practice often results in improved balance and happiness in the context of our daily lives. Mindfulness techniques are an integral part of my hypnotherapy sessions.

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