Are we really living in the present? Technically it is but perhaps many of us are in the here and now for only 10%. The rest of the thoughts are projected into the future or into the past. Mindfulness practices to get back in touch with the present moment can become a precious help.
Are we really living in the present? Technically it is but perhaps many of us are in the here and now for only 10%. The rest of the thoughts are projected into the future or into the past. Awareness practices (Mindfulness) to get back in touch with the present moment can become a precious help.
We are not always truly connected with what is happening in us and around us at this time, yet the present is the only time we have at our disposal without any uncertainty.
It can happen more or less often to let ourselves be carried away by the memories of the past, to worry too much about the future or to judge for no reason what and who we have in front of our eyes. In reality with some simple and concrete exercises we can practice awareness of the present moment every day, in our daily life.
Index
When we eat
How many times have you eaten in a hurry, distracted from work, from your computer, from your smartphone or from the TV? Try to eat with more awareness, a chew each bite for a long time, to really enjoy your food. Chewing each bite about 30 times, counting them one by one, can be a good exercise in mindfulness as well as a good habit for your health.
When we drink a cup of tea
“When we are eating, we eat. When we are drinking, we drink ”. Let's try to recall this simple phrase both during lunch or dinner and when we are about to drink a cup of tea or coffee. We are drinking in that moment and we don't need to think about anything else, just to savor and enjoy our drink.
When we walk
Where are our steps leading us? Are we walking fast or slowly? Are there any people around us? Do we already know this way or is it a new way for us? When we walk we try not to make everything around us, with its colors and sounds, go unnoticed. When we can let's take a break for walk with awareness and admire everything around us, with the same look of wonder that a child would have.
Photo source: Rella Cafa
When we hear the phone ring
Here, the phone rings, maybe it's a call or it's a simple message. We can consider the ringing of the phone as a sound that brings us back to the present moment. Let's take a deep breath before we go to answer or read the message we just received.
When we breathe deeply
Let's stop, take a moment to pause and take a long, deep breath that can restore some calm in our minds and hearts. We create breaks dedicated to deep breathing all for us. It really only takes a few minutes. Maybe we can take a deep breath when we get up from the desk and go out to get some fresh air.
Font photo: Bonnie Katz
When we take a break
In our world that runs faster and faster it seems almost impossible to stop and take a moment to take a break and take into consideration point by point everything that worries us or that makes us happy at this moment. To find peace of mind, it may be useful to try compile lists with a fixed number of points. We write down our wishes or what we would like to get rid of at this very moment. Then we begin to really act on our goals.
When we are lost in thought
Perhaps in some moments you feel lost in thought, almost detached from the world. Try to return to the present using the five senses one at a time. Look closely at what is in front of you, listen to the noises and voices around you, caress the fabric of the sofa you are sitting on, feel if there are smells or perfumes, just to name a few. Without forgetting to also take a few deep breaths.
Photo font: Mindful
When we listen to others
A friend is sitting in front of us and is telling us the latest news. Are we listening to him fully or are we thinking about what we would like to tell him immediately afterwards or what answers to give to his questions? Here, also in this case we can try to live in the present and to concentrate fully about what the person who is here with us is really telling and communicating to us.
When we listen to our emotions
We will only really know how to listen to others when we have learned to truly understand how we feel in this moment and what are the emotions who are guiding our words and actions. Let's try to understand what our emotions and thoughts are in this moment, where they come from, what we can do to solve the problems that arise before us and what we can draw positively from what we feel or think.
photo source: guim
When we meditate
When we sit in our favorite place to meditate we are guided by the best of intentions but then in our mind a thousand thoughts arrive. It is perfectly normal because it is impossible for our mind not to think. The mind must always be focused on a thought or object. How to do it then? To keep the mind focused in meditation without distractions, we can meditate with the help of a mantra and its meaning. This type of practice will help the mind to better enjoy the present moment and allow us to be completely absorbed in the meditation as the only action in which we want to engage at that particular moment.
Marta Albè
Fonte foto: Habits For Wellbeing
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