Do we feel our mind controls us, or we control our mind? Many people struggle with this question. What compels and drives you? Our brain is hardwired to make instantaneous judgments about what we see. In an attempt to make sense, our train of thought is often guided by thinking about multiple things at once, reliving the past, or perhaps planning for the future. We spend our lives in a semi-conscious state, in autopilot, rather than being fully present in the moment. How much of our day do we spend doing routine activities, without taking a moment to observe our breathing, body sensations, and thoughts. Mindfulness is the act of being present, without any interpretation or judgment at that moment. Observing and participating with moment by moment awareness. Our perception of the slowness of an activity can give great vividness and create attentiveness to that activity. One does not have to be specific to any religion, as it is a sectarian practice. In Hinduism, mindfulness is explained as peeling away the illusion that stands in the way of clear perception. Christians may consider mindfulness as intimate awareness of God’s presence.
The act of mindfulness has prominence in eastern medicine and is a large part of the ancient Buddhist tradition. SATI, a specialized form of heightened awareness (mindfulness), was taught by the Budda 2,500 years ago. Mindfulness promotes the end of suffering, fostering happiness from within, and heightened awareness.
Mindfulness helps us deal with difficult feelings like anger, loss, and anxiety. With the dedicated practice of mindfulness, we can learn to handle anger effectively, find contentment, and experience our emotion as a temporary wave, rather than a permanent state of well being. Mindfulness is not exclusive to the mind; it can help us understand our bodies. It is shown to have a salutary effect on our health.
In recent years, empirical data suggests regular use of a mindfulness practice for reducing patient illnesses by half to those with physical illness, such as heart attacks and strokes. In addition to the reduction of symptoms of psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Meta-analysis data tells us that practicing mindfulness gives a sense of peace over the body, and intune awareness in presence and serenity
