An introduction to living a more fully present and aware life.
There is a seemingly endless stream of information about the power of the mind – describing different types of thinking – the conscious, the subconscious, the unconscious minds, automatic or habitual thinking. In this blog, we take a look at how the practice of mindfulness increases our awareness of ourselves, and how we respond to our inner and outer lives, our thoughts, emotions and events.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness has its origins in ancient meditative practices, where it’s believed that individuals should establish mindfulness in their day-to-day lives, maintaining a calm awareness of their bodily functions, feelings, thoughts, perceptions and consciousness itself.Today, in Western society, mindfulness is used in psychology to help relieve people from mental and physical conditions, including depression, anxiety disorders and addiction. It’s not a religion or a cult, has no theological assumptions and can be practised byanyone. Mindfulness has gained a more mainstream popularity in recent years, as people increasingly look for ways to find inner calm in an ever hectic and busy world.Practising mindfulness enables us to make wise choices. When our minds are caught up in stressful thought patterns, it’s hard to see through the mental clutter. We get confused and become reactive, not reflective. Mindfulness is the ability to live in the present moment with, for instance, less distraction from unhelpful habits.
In groups with your personal Mentor you will have the opportunity to explore more of this habitual thinking that can sometimes shout so loudly ‘Eat me, Eat me’ as another diet bites the dust.
As John Lennon wrote, ‘Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.’ Make life happen for you, so you can enjoy it to the full.
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