What Does It Actually Mean to Be Mindful?
At the beginning of every class, we take a mindful moment.
It might only be a few minutes, but it is an important part of the practice.
We have usually arrived carrying something from the day. Perhaps we've come straight from work, been caught in traffic, had an awkward conversation, or simply have a lot on our minds.
So before we start moving, we pause.
We notice the breath. We feel the body. We become aware of the ground beneath us.
It is a chance to step out of the spiral of the day and come back to ourselves.
But what exactly are we practising when we do this?
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to what is happening right now, with curiosity rather than immediately judging, analysing or trying to change it.
That might mean noticing your breath, the sensations in your body, the sounds around you, or the thoughts moving through your mind.
It sounds simple. But staying with what is happening in the present moment can be surprisingly difficult.
Our minds are very good at travelling backwards and forwards.
We replay conversations from yesterday.
We worry about what might happen tomorrow.
We make lists, solve problems, remember things, plan things and sometimes get caught in the same thoughts over and over again.
Mindfulness gives us an opportunity to notice that happening.
Not necessarily to stop thinking altogether, but to recognise when we've become lost in thought and gently return to what is actually happening now.
Why do we need moments of mindfulness?
Because constant thinking can become a habit.
We can spend a surprising amount of our day inside our own heads without really noticing it.
And sometimes the thoughts we return to aren't particularly helpful. We might repeatedly worry about something that hasn't happened yet, replay something that has already happened, or become caught in a familiar pattern of self-criticism.
Mindfulness creates a pause in that loop.
That pause doesn't necessarily make the problem disappear. Instead, it gives us space to notice what is happening before automatically reacting to it.
One way mindfulness can be useful is when we're experiencing stress. Stress affects both mind and body, and prolonged stress is associated with physical changes including increased blood pressure and disruption to sleep, digestion and other bodily processes.
Rather than trying to eliminate every stressful thought, mindfulness can help us become more aware of our experience and how we respond to it.
It can create that pause that helps us assess the usefulness of going over the same problems in our heads, or perhaps in the pause, the answer comes, or that pause could be what we need to accept our circumstances in the moment.
Mindfulness in Yoga
Mindfulness has always been a part of Yoga and In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the word vritti is used to describe the fluctuations or movements of the mind.
The second sutra famously describes yoga as: Yogas citta vritti nirodhah. Often translated as: “Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.”
This doesn't mean that yoga expects us to have a completely empty mind. If you've ever tried to sit quietly for five minutes, you'll know how unrealistic that would be.
A thought appears. We notice it. And rather than automatically following every thought wherever it leads, we practise coming back to a point of focus.
To the breath.
To the body.
To the sounds around us.
And this helps us shift from a reactive state of thought and emotion into a quiet observer.
Mindfulness isn't always about feeling calm
This is worth remembering.
Mindfulness isn't about sitting peacefully with a serene expression while having no difficult thoughts.
Sometimes being mindful means noticing that you're annoyed.
Or tired.
Or worried.
Or distracted.
Or uncomfortable.
The practice isn't necessarily to change those feelings. It's to become aware of them.
There is a difference between:
“I'm having an anxious thought.”
and
“Everything is going to go wrong.”
The first creates a little space around the experience.
That space gives us the opportunity to choose how we respond.
Mindfulness takes practice but it doesn't have to be complicated
Mindfulness is sometimes described as a kind of gym training for the mind.
When we exercise our bodies regularly, we gradually become stronger and more capable.
Mindfulness works in a similar way. Each time we notice where our attention has gone and consciously bring it back, we practise that skill.
You don't have to wait until you're sitting on a yoga mat to practise, mindfulness can happen anywhere.
It can be:
Feeling the warmth of your mug while drinking your morning tea
Noticing the sun on your skin
Feeling your feet as you walk
Taking a breath while the kettle boils
Becoming absorbed in something you enjoy, whether that's gardening, cooking, climbing, painting or playing music
Giving someone your full attention while they're speaking
Noticing the sounds around you while waiting in a queue instead of automatically reaching for your phone
Mindfulness can help us notice our habits
Once we start paying attention, we may begin to notice things we previously did automatically.
Perhaps we notice how quickly we reach for our phone whenever we have a spare moment.
Perhaps we notice the way we speak to ourselves when we make a mistake.
Perhaps we notice that we hold our breath when we're concentrating.
Perhaps we notice tension in our shoulders when we're stressed.
Perhaps we notice how often we're thinking about what we should be doing rather than actually experiencing what we're doing.
Mindfulness doesn't mean that every habit needs to change.
Awareness comes first.
You can't make a conscious choice about something you haven't become aware of.
So perhaps this month, try bringing a little mindfulness into your life
Notice the warmth of your tea. Feel your feet as you walk. Listen when someone is speaking. Take a breath while the kettle boils.
Nothing extraordinary needs to happen.
Just notice.
