By Annette Pinder
Put simply, mindfulness is paying attention to the present, and observing your thoughts and feelings without judging them, without dwelling in the past or future. Mindfulness has shown to improve people’s mental, physical, and emotional health, and is a great way to start off a healthy year
Paul Lukasik of Buffalo Dharma will discuss mindfulness on WUFO Radio 97.5 FM/Mix 1080 AM on Monday January 8 at 7:30 p.m. Lukasik emphasizes, “It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your physical ability is, if you’re religious or not — mindfulness can help everyone.
To experience mindfulness, Lukasik recommends the following exercise:
Set aside some time. You don’t need any sort of special equipment to tap into your mindfulness skills — just some time and space.
Observe the present moment as it is. You don’t need to calm your mind. Simply pay attention to the present moment, without judgement, which is often easier said than done, since our minds often wander.
Let your judgments roll by. When judgements do arise simply make a mental note of them, and let them pass.
Return to observing the present moment as it is. Our minds naturally get carried away in thought, which is why mindfulness involves returning, again and again, to the present moment.
Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself for whatever thoughts crop up. Simply recognize when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back.
Being mindful is simple, but not necessarily easy. Just keep practicing, and you’ll reap the many beneficial rewards.
Paul Lukasek is the director of Buffalo Dharma. View upcoming mindfulness practice opportunities at https://www.buffalodharma.org.
