April 2010 Newsletter
April 5, 2010
Relax, Refresh and Renew in an Instant
~ Cheryle Jones Andrews
Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Perhaps, but don’t overlook the fact that our bodies are exquisitely designed to strive for health and healing — if we
pay attention to them. Developing a practice of mindfulness, paying attention to what is happening to you from moment to moment, will promote your physical, mental, and spiritual healing and health. The reflective practice of mindfulness integrates the brain and results in:
Bodily regulation, Attuned communication, Emotional balance, Fear regulation and extinction, Flexibility in thinking and response, Insight into self, Empathy for others, Morality — we are part of a larger whole, and Intuition access. Mindfulness need not be an ordeal. Rather mindfulness becomes a way of being in the world.
10 Simple Ways You Can Practice Mindfulness — Relax, Refresh and Renew in an Instant:
1. As you awaken in the morning, bring your attention to your
breathing. Instead of letting your mind spin off into yesterday or today,
take mindful breaths. Focus on your breathing, and sense the effects of
breathing throughout your body.
2. Instead of hurrying to your usual routine, slow down and enjoy
something special about the morning: a flower that bloomed, the sound of
birds, the wind in the trees.
3. On your way to work or school, pay attention to how you walk or
drive or ride the transit. Take some deep breaths, relaxing throughout your
body.
4. When stopped at a red light, pay attention to your breathing and
enjoy the landscape around you.
5. When you arrive at your destination, take a few moments to orient
yourself; breathe consciously and calmly, relax your body, then begin.
6. When sitting at your desk or keyboard, become aware of the subtle
signs of physical tension and take a break to stretch or walk around.
7. Use the repetitive events of the day — the ringing telephone, a knock
on the door, walking down the hall — as cues for a mini-relaxation.
8. Walk mindfully to your car or bus. Can you see and appreciate
something new in the environment? Can you enjoy walking without rushing?
9. As you return home, consciously make the transition into your home
environment. If possible, after greeting your family or housemates, give
yourself a few minutes alone to ease the transition.
10. As you go to sleep, let go of today and tomorrow, and take some
slow, mindful breaths.
To learn more about mindfulness, check out the book “Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation” by Daniel J. Siegel.