What is Mindfulness | Kama Ayurveda

What is mindfulness

In a nutshell, mindfulness is the awareness of being fully and consciously immersed in each and every moment of life. Mindful practices have been part and parcel of many meditation traditions for millennia. It’s an important strand in Vedic meditation, a vital part of Buddhist practice, and can be found in a broad band of other faiths, including Christianity, Sufism, and Judaism. As a spiritual practice it goes well beyond the modern mantra of ‘right here, right now’ and plugs us into pure awareness, free from judgement. It’s considered the first step towards enlightenment.

Modern mindfulness as an antidote to stress

However, in the late 1970s, mindfulness shrugged off its spiritual roots and was reinvented, primarily as a tool for dealing with that very modern ailment: stress. Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn founded the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. His Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme used techniques from Buddhism but took out the religious aspects, making the practice totally secular. Since then, mindfulness has exploded into all areas of modern life. It is taught in schools, in hospitals, in therapy sessions, even in the military.

Does mindfulness work?

The short answer is yes. Kabat-Zinn found that mindfulness had a host of benefits, both physical and mental. Above all, it put his patients back in control, helping to relieve chronic pain and reduce stress. A raft of studies followed and the research agreed, mindfulness really can lessen pain and kick stress into touch. But the benefits of mindfulness it didn’t stop there. Mindfulness was also found to soothe insomnia, to lessen anxiety and depression, and it even helped people lose weight. It seems to affect the immune system and might even influence how our genes express themselves.

Everyday mindfulness starts with the breath

Most mindfulness teachers will start by teaching how to bring attention to the breath: noticing how we inhale and exhale naturally brings us into the present moment. Once you’ve got this under your belt, the possibilities are endless. Starting each day with mindfulness, even before you get out of bed, sets you up for the day. Bring mindful moments into every aspect of your life; having a shower, eating breakfast, enjoying a cup of coffee, walking, driving, even answering the phone.

Mindful beauty rituals

Turn your morning and evening beauty and body routines into mindful rituals. Don’t race, take time. Notice the scent and breathe in deeply as you apply our Rose Jasmine Face Cleanser

Feel the smooth silky texture of our Urjasara Hydrating & Replenishing Face Oil.

Being mindful makes everyday life so much more calm and stress-free; it also helps us foster good habits and eases our relationships. It’s just so much easier to get on with people when we’re mindful of what we’re saying and how we’re reacting.

The 7 Principles of mindfulness

Jon Kabat-Zinn said that, in order to deepen your mindfulness practice, you should follow the core principles of mindfulness. In particular, there are 7 principles to follow:

1. Non-judgment: we all have an ‘inner critic’ that likes to judge our efforts. Be kind to yourself and try not to judge yourself if you feel you’re not paying attention or if your mind wanders.

2. Patience: mindfulness takes time, don’t be surprised if it’s harder than you think.

3. Adopt a beginner’s mind: one of the joys of mindfulness is looking at the world with fresh eyes, as if you were a child.

4. Foster trust: listen to yourself and learn to trust your feelings.

5. Aim for non-striving: mindfulness is all about embracing the moment; not hunting for perfection.

6. Cultivate acceptance: embrace the saying ‘It is what it is’, accepting how things are in the present moment without trying to change them is a great path to wisdom and peace.

7. Learn to let go: your mind will inevitably catch onto certain thoughts or feelings. Recognise what your mind is doing and then let those thoughts go.

The joy of mindfulness

Being mindful makes everyday life so much more calm and stress-free; it also helps us foster good habits and eases our relationships. It’s so much easier to get on with people when we’re mindful of what we’re saying and how we’re reacting.

So, if meditation has always sounded a bit off-putting, a tad sedentary, or just too spiritual, do explore mindfulness. It’s an ideal way to get the benefits of meditation without even the slightest whiff of incense or the vaguest hint of an ohm.