MINDFULNESS there is no right or wrong way

By Mary Munro, Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing PgCert Mindfulness Studies

I’ve been interested in and practiced mindfulness for over 10 years. Common reactions I have heard when discussing mindfulness have been…

“I am too busy to do mindfulness”

2. “Is that when you just sit and think of nothing?”

3. “I have tried it, but not sure if I am doing right”

The beauty of mindfulness: there is always time to be mindful. It’s about being present in whatever we are doing, and there is no right or wrong way of doing it. I thought I would write a piece on myth busting some of the preconceptions of what it is and what it is not, to get anyone curious about mindfulness off to the best start.

What exactly is mindfulness?

The Mindfulness Association’s working definition of mindfulness is ‘knowing what is happening while it is happening, without preference’. Mindfulness is a mental state, achieved by focusing our awareness on the present moment, while acknowledging and accepting any feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

Mindfulness is not easy – it is a “practice”

Sometimes it can be easy, sometimes it’s not (especially when beginning mindfulness practice). If you find your mind wanders off thinking about other things – that is completely okay and totally normal. As human beings, we have these butterfly minds that like to fly off to different places. This becomes easier with practice to bring our minds back to the present. I think of mindfulness practice as building a muscle in the brain: the mindfulness muscle.

Mindfulness can be practiced anytime/ anywhere

Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, doing anything. Examples can be mindful eating, mindful walking and stop, breath and think. It is about paying attention to what is happening while it is happening and not just sitting in a position of meditation. It’s important to remember that the goal of mindfulness practice is not to be completely free of thoughts – that’s virtually impossible. You’re trying to become aware of whatever arises, whether it be an odour, an itch, or a thought.

Mindfulness is for anyone and everyone

There’s no belief system connected to mindfulness. It has routes within Buddhism, however it’s a technique for enriching your life by learning how to fully engage your moment-to-moment experience. Everyone is welcome to be mindful.

The Mindfulness Association has a great website to start your mindful journey: mindfulnessassociation.net. There are a few apps that may be useful to suggest to students for exam and assignment preparation – just to give that little break away from the books: Head Space, The Mindfulness App, Calm, and Mindfulness Daily.