Mindfulness – the Myths, Challenges and Benefits
The practice of mindfulness is an ancient meditation practice. It is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment or being purposely aware of the here and now. Mindfulness is readily available to us in various forms such as meditation, body scans and even mindful moment practices such as knowing when to pause and breathe deeply.
The Myths
Just as with any other ancient practice that is gaining popularity mainstream, there are myths we need to stop believing about mindfulness practice. Here are some of these myths busted.
1. It’s just about deep breathing – Mindfulness practice is not about deep breathing because Science proves that breathing is multi-textured. Mindfulness is much more than being aware of how you breathe, it is knowing how to allow your attention to rest while gently riding the waves of your breathing.
2. The goal is to be on a perpetual state of bliss – Mindfulness does not alter the state of being, what it does though is it teaches us to be accepting of what is happening within and around us.
3. It’s about taking time-out from reality – On the contrary, mindfulness is to wake up the inner workings of our physical, mental and emotional processes.
4. You need a quiet space for it to work – There is no one size fits all formula to achieve the maximum benefits of mindfulness practice. Not even a calm, serene place. This is not about having to go to a special space but about making the practice a lifestyle.
The Challenges
Truly living in the present – or learning the art of it – can be very challenging but highly rewarding. We must remember that for some people, progress may not come very quickly, but it will with consistency and determination. What makes people fall “off the grid” varies: distractions, life drama, sometimes wanting to escape the here and now, certain attachments, missing the point of mindfulness practice and so on.
As with any other practice, mindfulness takes time to understand, learn and incorporate into a lifestyle. But there are no challenges that cannot be overcome.
The Benefits
1. Improves well-being – Being mindful makes it easier to savour the pleasures – big and small- that life has to offer. It increases your capacity to be mindful of attitudes that contribute to satisfaction, pleasure, joy, excitement and so on.
2. Improves mental health – Science proves that mindfulness practice helps reduce anxiety, depression, improve cognition and increase body satisfaction. It also helps the brain reduce distractions.
3. Improves physical health – Scientists have discovered that mindfulness techniques benefit the physical well-being as well. It can relieve stress which is a factor that contributes to high blood pressure, heart diseases, sleep problems and other forms of illnesses. Aside from that, mindfulness practice also reduces chronic pain and alleviates gastrointestinal difficulties.
Want to learn more? Mindfulness expert Tammy Williams’ workshop shows you how to incorporate the practice into daily life, join us!
Introduction to Mindfulness Workshop
January 15, 6pm – 8:30pm | $55 Cash, $60 Card
Give back to yourself and bring awareness to your life. An amazing way to spend Sunday evening. You will learn;
How to develop a mindfulness practice
The Pillars of Mindfulness (theory + practice)
The myths, challenges + more
Includes a self study workbook and FREE mindfulness downloads
Instructor:Tammy Williams