RAIN for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Here is a practice excerpted from A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook to help you gain control of situations and reduce stress.  

The RAIN Practice
You can use the acronym RAIN as an informal practice for working with mindful self-inquiry:
R = Recognize when a strong emotion is present.
A = Allow or acknowledge that it’s there.
I = Investigate the body, emotions, and thoughts.
N = Non-identify with whatever is there.

RAIN is an insightful self-inquiry practice that you can bring into your daily life to help you dis cover deeper threads of what triggers strong emotional reactions. Throughout the next week, bring rec ognition to any strong emotion and allow it to be present. Investigate what you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally and see where it takes you. The last element, non-identification, is very useful because it helps to deflate the mind’s stories and cultivates the understanding that strong emotions are just another passing mind state and not a definition of who you are. It’s like going to a movie, where you sit back and watch the actors play out the drama. By seeing your story as impermanent and not identifying with it, you’ll begin to loosen the grip of your own mind traps. This will help create the space for you to be with things as they are and deepen your understanding of what drives, underlies, or fuels your fears, anger, and sadness. It also grants you the freedom to look at the situation differently and choose a response other than what may be dictated by your story. (more)

12 Inspiring Quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh

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Here, Thich Nhat Hanh shares a few words of wisdom

~ "Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice. No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out." ~

~ "People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar." ~

~ "Enlightenment is always there. Small enlightenment will bring great enlightenment. If you breathe in and are aware that you are alive..”that you can touch the miracle of being alive...”then that is a kind of enlightenment." ~

~ "Many people are alive but don't touch the miracle of being alive." ~

~ "It is possible to live happily in the here and now. So many conditions of happiness are available ”more than enough for you to be happy right now. You don't have to run into the future in order to get more." ~

~ "People suffer because they are caught in their views. As soon as we release those views, we are free and we don't suffer anymore." ~

~ "Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes." ~

~ "Life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now." ~

~ "When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there?"

~ "To be loved means to be recognized as existing." ~

~ "Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature." ~

~ "We have to continue to learn. We have to be open. And we have to be ready to release our knowledge in order to come to a higher understanding of reality." ~

Read Oprah's full interview with Thich Nhat Hanh

4 Ways to Walk (Mindfully) into Mental Health

By ELISHA GOLDSTEIN, PH.D.

During the day many of us are moving so fast, sometimes physically, but almost always mentally. Our neurons are firing in hyper speed with so much to do and so much to pay attention to. I’ll often catch myself walking so fast to my car, head tilted forward, and eyes darting to the handle of the door where my next action will be. Sometimes, when I remember my practice, I notice that I’m “rushing home to relax.” In that moment I become present and realize that I don’t have to rush home to relax, I have arrived in the present moment and can choose to “be” different.  Here is a way we can apply this to something many of us do every day…walking.

• Appreciation - If you are fortunate enough to have the ability to walk, try and remember, it took you over a year to learn how to walk and these legs are often the unsung heroes that take you to and fro day in and day out. Thank your legs for all their efforts.
• Grounding – Bring your attention to the sensations of your feet and legs as the heel touches the ground, then the base of the foot, then the toes, and then they lift. You can actually say to yourself, “heel, foot, toes, lift.” This is a way to connect to the action of walking in the present moment.
• Open Awareness – Walk slightly slower and begin to open your awareness to all your senses one by one. Sight, sound, taste, feeling, smell. See what is around you, listen to the sounds, taste the air or whatever is in your mouth, feel the warmth, coolness, or breeze on your cheeks, smell the air. Then stop for a moment and see if you can take in all of the senses.
• Mantra - As I mentioned in an earlier blog, you can also recite some sayings while taking a few steps. For example, take a few steps and during an in breath say to yourself, “breathing in, I have arrived, breathing out, I am home” or “breathing in, I calm my body, breathing out, I relax”. Or make up your own sayings.   

You can do this while walking to work, running errands, or walking from the car to the door on the way home. Keep in mind this is a practice. So whenever you remember that you are rushing home to relax, or really rushing anywhere, you are now present and can engage in any of these ways of mindful walking. As always, don’t ever take my word for it, try it for yourself!

10 Steps to Mindfulness

By Leo Babauta  Third Age

"Smile, breathe and go slowly." - Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Buddhist monk

The idea of being mindful - being present, being more conscious of life as it happens - may seem contradictory to those who are used to sacrificing living for pursuing their goals ... but cultivating mindfulness will help you achieve your goals and enjoy life more. In fact, you're more productive when you're mindful.

But more importantly, being present is undoubtedly the only way to enjoy life to the fullest. By being mindful, you enjoy your food more, you enjoy friends and family more, you enjoy anything you're doing more. Anything. Even things you might think are drudgery or boring, such as housework, can be amazing if you are truly present. Try it - wash dishes or sweep or cook, and remain fully present. It takes practice, but it's incredible.

Life in the Present: A 10-Step Approach

1. Do one thing at a time. Single-task, don't multi-task. When you're pouring water, just pour water. When you're eating, just eat. When you're bathing, just bathe. Don't try to knock off a few tasks while eating or bathing or driving. Zen proverb: "When walking, walk. When eating, eat."

2. Do it slowly and deliberately. You can do one task at a time, but also rush that task. Instead, take your time, and move slowly. Make your actions deliberate, not rushed and random. It takes practice, but it helps you focus on the task.

3. Do less. If you do less, you can do those things more slowly, more completely and with more concentration. If you fill your day with tasks, you will be rushing from one thing to the next without stopping to think about what you do. But you're busy and you can't possibly do less, right? You can. I've done it, and so have many busy people. It's a matter of figuring out what's important, and letting go of what's not.

4. Put space between things. Related to the "Do less" rule, but it's a way of managing your schedule so that you always have time to complete each task. Don't schedule things close together - instead, leave room between things on your schedule. That gives you a more relaxed schedule, and leaves space in case one task takes longer than you planned.

5. Spend at least 5 minutes each day doing nothing. Just sit in silence. Become aware of your thoughts. Focus on your breathing. Notice the world around you. Become comfortable with the silence and stillness. It'll do you a world of good - and just takes 5 minutes!

6. Stop worrying about the future - focus on the present. Become more aware of your thinking - are you constantly worrying about the future? Learn to recognize when you're doing this, and then practice bringing yourself back to the present. Just focus on what you're doing, right now. Enjoy the present moment.

7. When you're talking to someone, be present. How many of us have spent time with someone but have been thinking about what we need to do in the future? Or thinking about what we want to say next, instead of really listening to that person? Instead, focus on being present, on really listening, on really enjoying your time with that person.

8. Eat slowly and savor your food. Food can be crammed down our throats in a rush, but where's the joy in that? Savor each bite, slowly, and really get the most out of your food. Interestingly, you'll eat less this way, and digest your food better as well.

9. Live slowly and savor your life. Just as you would savor your food by eating it more slowly, do everything this way - slow down and savor each and every moment. Tune into the sights and sounds and awaken your senses to the world around you.

10. Make cleaning and cooking become meditation. Cooking and cleaning are often seen as drudgery, but actually they are both great ways to practice mindfulness, and can be great rituals performed each day. If cooking and cleaning seem like boring chores to you, try doing them as a form of meditation. Put your entire mind into those tasks, concentrate, and do them slowly and completely. It could change your entire day (as well as leave you with a cleaner house).

Keep practicing. When you get frustrated, just take a deep breath. When you ask yourself, "What should I do now, Self?" The answer is, "keep practicing."

"When you drive around the city and come to a red light or a stop sign, you can just sit back and make use of these twenty or thirty seconds to relax - to breathe in, breathe out, and enjoy arriving in the present moment. There are many things like that we can do." - Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh on The Practice of Mindfulness

“Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in.” It is such a simple practice, but it can transform your life. The great meditation master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches five mindfulness exercises to help you live with happiness and joy.

Our true home is not in the past. Our true home is not in the future. Our true home is in the here and the now. Life is available only in the here and the now, and it is our true home.

Mindfulness is the energy that helps us recognize the conditions of happiness that are already present in our lives. You don’t have to wait ten years to experience this happiness. It is present in every moment of your daily life. There are those of us who are alive but don’t know it. But when you breathe in, and you are aware of your in-breath, you touch the miracle of being alive. That is why mindfulness is a source of happiness and joy.

Most people are forgetful; they are not really there a lot of the time. Their mind is caught in their worries, their fears, their anger, and their regrets, and they are not mindful of being there. That state of being is called forgetfulness—you are there but you are not there. You are caught in the past or in the future. You are not there in the present moment, living your life deeply. That is forgetfulness.

Excerpted from the March 2010 issue of the Shambhala Sun.

The Meaning of the Dalai Lama for Today

By Robert Thurman 


Lately when I have attended His Holiness the Dalai Lama giving Buddhist teachings to large assemblies, I have had an odd sensation: it feels as if I have entered a time warp, and am actually witnessing Shakyamuni Buddha himself in all his glory as a teacher. As the Noble Vimalakirti Sutra puts it, "Dominating all the multitudes, just as Sumeru, the king of mountains, looms high over the oceans, the Lord Buddha shone, radiated and glittered as he sat upon his magnificent lion-throne.

Over many years, I had attended His Holiness' teachings and found them informative and inspiring, but I had always felt that it was the Dalai Lama I knew sitting there before me. Buddha was often mentioned as a remote founding figure, far back in ancient history. Sure, this new sense I have is just subjective, my going "dotty," like a typical devotee. Maybe so; but it also gives me a clue about what the Dalai Lama has come to mean for the world.

I think the Dalai Lama has grown so close to Shakyamuni Buddha that their manifestations have become indistinguishable; the Dalai Lama has become a living proof of the Mahayana vision of Buddha’s inexhaustible compassionate presence. I think people sense that fact, each one according to their level of insight, as constrained by preconceptions, experience and understanding.

This does not mean that the Dalai Lama is a "God-king" or a "living God," as is sometimes written in the press. For Buddha is not "God," who, if He did exist as conceived by Western monotheists, would be absolutely unimaginable, forever trans-human. Buddha, though also inconceivable ultimately, on the relative level is a being who was thoroughly human at one time, like you or me, and then through many lives evolved into something more than human and more than any God. He is a wise and compassionate, omnipresent but not omnipotent, universal awareness and powerful energy called "Realized One" (Tathagata), "Blissful One" (Sugata), "Teacher of Humans and Gods" (Devamanushyanam Shasta) and many other names. He/she is everywhere embodied/disembodied as reality, manifesting as seeming individuals in sensitive response to the needs of beings. Any particular manifestation of Buddha is thus a kind of living doorway to each individual's own happiness, a mirror, to that individual, of the reality that must be understood for that individual to realize their own wisdom, freedom from suffering, immortality and supreme happiness.

It is natural that this might all seem merely hypothetical and unrealistic, the high-flown, challengingly optimistic philosophy (or Buddhology) of the Mahayana Buddhist sutras. It becomes concrete only in the live encounter with such a Buddha-manifestation. It takes a living personification of the Buddha-qualities to make our own freedom and enlightenment seem really possible, a live exemplar of the Buddha-happiness to make our own mouths water for the taste of our own real happiness. This is the real meaning of the Dalai Lama’s presence. It is felt by all who meet him, through whatever medium, consciously or unconsciously.

It is not merely that the Dalai Lama represents “Buddhism,” thought to be a distinct “religious system.” He is much more than a nominal leader of an organization. He does not seek to convert anyone to “Buddhism.” “Buddhism” is not a world organization, competing with other organized world religions, seeking strength in numbers. It is an age-old movement seeking to educate the heart and mind of any being for freedom and happiness, no matter what their ideology. It is a teaching of the reality of selflessness and relationality. The Dalai Lama is a simple monk, an adept mind scientist, a thorough scholar, a spiritual teacher, a diplomat, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, an apostle of nonviolence, an advocate of intelligence and universal responsibility, and the living exemplar of what he calls "our common human religion of kindness."

We live in an era of extreme contrasts: Technology informs us more than ever and yet makes us feel weaker and more frightened than ever. The art of caring for the sick seems more sophisticated than ever, and yet the food-chain is poisoned, the environment polluted and good advice on how to live well is harder than ever to find. Pluralism on all levels seems more essential than ever, yet the cruelty of fanatics rages more violently than ever. Knowledge and technology have infinite potential to transform our world, potentially for the better, yet all around us devastation proceeds inexorably.

In this climate of manifold desperations, both quiet and shrill, the Dalai Lama seems to emerge from another civilization, to descend from a higher altitude, as if from another dimension, a living example of calm in emergency, patience in injury, cheerful intelligence in confusion, and dauntless optimism in the face of apparent doom. Inspired by Jesus, Gandhiji and Martin Luther King, Jr., he carries on that tradition under the extreme duress of the half-century-long agony of Tibet.

Especially since the emergency call of 9/11, the world seems headed into a tailspin. Instead of a post-cold-war century free of war, endless war is declared from several sides. Instead of increasing prosperity and joyful, optimistic sharing, the gulf between rich and poor grows cataclysmic, and the world economy seems heading for collapse. Instead of a scientifically sound era of healthy living, new plagues rear their terrifying heads. Hopelessness and fear send everyone rushing for an exit, diving into an isolated personal shelter. The West's Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are riding wild upon the range.

In the midst of this, the Dalai Lama remains undaunted, even cheerful. He doesn't give up the responsibility for his own people, a nation of six million very close to succumbing to systematic genocide with no one in official power to protect them. He doesn't revile the harmful leaders as "evil"; he calls for dialogue and reconciliation, still, after more than fifty years of violence and oppression. He insists on the message that intelligence and kindness together can solve any situation. He sees that all is possible, even the good, the true and the beautiful, and people therefore feel a huge weight lifted from them when they meet him. Though he is a simple monk, what the Zen people call a "true man of no rank," without any powerful organization, recognized nation, institutionalized religion or rich industry or foundation, he still stands out as a natural leader of the plain people, a living symbol of nonviolence. He looms head and shoulders over the crowd of political leaders who tend to parade themselves as masters of violence.

What does the Dalai Lama mean? He is a living prince of peace, a teacher of intelligence, an inspirer of goodness of heart, a reincarnation of the Buddha of universal compassion. He comes to join us in our world today, offering us hope and help in our stressed-out lives and calling upon us to take up our own wild joy of universal responsibility.


Robert Thurman is a professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, and President of Tibet House U.S. © 2003 by Robert Thurman The Meaning of the Dalai Lama for Today, Robert Thurman, Shambhala Sun   FREE TIBET

Accepting Personal Responsibility

Accepting personal responsibility is  the first step in really taking control of your life. While it's important to understand the past, acknowledge any injustice there, release shameful feelings -- it's even more important to release it and move on. This is your survivor moment in which you become your own hero.  That's where the personal responsibility comes into play. You have a choice of how you live your life. We become mindfully aware of the options that exist in every encounter and become the leader of our own ship.  Lance Armstrong's Live Strong site had a really good overview on Personal Responsibility and I invite you to make these values your priorities.

What is accepting personal responsibility?
How can failing to accept personal responsibility result in negative consequences?
What do people believe who have not accepted personal responsibility?
What behavior traits need to be developed in order to accept personal responsibility?
What are the steps in accepting personal responsibility?

Distilling the Soul of a Nation

$30 million dollars and a dream backed by NBC and the Olympic Committee brought color and light to my television screen tonight culminating in the opening ceremony of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.  I imagined all that went into producing such a spectacle and the pressure to distill a whole nation’s culture into an evening of premium prime-time television.  Producer David Atkins had his work cut out for him as he and his team assessed an inventory of symbols, stories, messages, and themes.  The goal was to communicate the new face of Canada which combines progress and reverence for the past.  A particular highlight was poet Shane Koyczan’s We Are More.

We Are More by Shane Koyczan

when defining Canada

you might list some statistics

you might mention our tallest building

or biggest lake

you might shake a tree in the fall

and call a red leaf Canada

you might rattle off some celebrities

might mention Buffy Sainte-Marie

might even mention the fact that we've got a few

Barenaked Ladies

or that we made these crazy things

like zippers

electric cars

and washing machines

when defining Canada

it seems the world's anthem has been

" been there done that"

and maybe that's where we used to be at

it's true

we've done and we've been

we've seen

all the great themes get swallowed up by the machine

and turned into theme parks

but when defining Canada

don't forget to mention that we have set sparks

we are not just fishing stories

about the one that got away

we do more than sit around and say "eh?"

and yes

we are the home of the Rocket and the Great One

who inspired little number nines

and little number ninety-nines

but we're more than just hockey and fishing lines

off of the rocky coast of the Maritimes

and some say what defines us

is something as simple as please and thank you

and as for you're welcome

well we say that too

but we are more

than genteel or civilized

we are an idea in the process

of being realized

we are young

we are cultures strung together

then woven into a tapestry

and the design

is what makes us more

than the sum total of our history

we are an experiment going right for a change

with influences that range from a to zed

and yes we say zed instead of zee

we are the colours of Chinatown and the coffee of Little Italy

we dream so big that there are those

who would call our ambition an industry

because we are more than sticky maple syrup and clean snow

we do more than grow wheat and brew beer

we are vineyards of good year after good year

we reforest what we clear

because we believe in generations beyond our own

knowing now that so many of us

have grown past what used to be

we can stand here today

filled with all the hope people have

when they say things like "someday"

someday we'll be great

someday we'll be this

or that

someday we'll be at a point

when someday was yesterday

and all of our aspirations will pay the way

for those who on that day

look towards tomorrow

and still they say someday

we will reach the goals we set

and we will get interest on our inspiration

because we are more than a nation of whale watchers and lumberjacks

more than backpacks and hiking trails

we are hammers and nails building bridges

towards those who are willing to walk across

we are the lost-and-found for all those who might find themselves at a loss

we are not the see-through gloss or glamour

of those who clamour for the failings of others

we are fathers brothers sisters and mothers

uncles and nephews aunts and nieces

we are cousins

we are found missing puzzle pieces

we are families with room at the table for newcomers

we are more than summers and winters

more than on and off seasons

we are the reasons people have for wanting to stay

because we are more than what we say or do

we live to get past what we go through

and learn who we are

we are students

students who study the studiousness of studying

so we know what as well as why

we don't have all the answers

but we try

and the effort is what makes us more

we don't all know what it is in life we're looking for

so keep exploring

go far and wide

or go inside but go deep

go deep

as if James Cameron was filming a sequel to The Abyss

and suddenly there was this location scout

trying to figure some way out

to get inside you

because you've been through hell and high water

and you went deep

keep exploring

because we are more

than a laundry list of things to do and places to see

we are more than hills to ski

or countryside ponds to skate

we are the abandoned hesitation of all those who can't wait

we are first-rate greasy-spoon diners and healthy-living cafes

a country that is all the ways you choose to live

a land that can give you variety

because we are choices

we are millions upon millions of voices shouting

" keep exploring... we are more"

we are the surprise the world has in store for you

it's true

Canada is the "what" in "what's new?"

so don't say "been there done that"

unless you've sat on the sidewalk

while chalk artists draw still lifes

on the concrete of a kid in the street

beatboxing to Neil Young for fun

don't say you've been there done that

unless you've been here doing it

let this country be your first-aid kit

for all the times you get sick of the same old same old

let us be the story told to your friends

and when that story ends

leave chapters for the next time you'll come back

next time pack for all the things

you didn't pack for the first time

but don't let your luggage define your travels

each life unravels differently

and experiences are what make up

the colours of our tapestry

we are the true north

strong and free

and what's more

is that we didn't just say it

we made it be.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

MLO sends condolences to the family of Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

MLO sends condolences to the family of Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia.

Toward a Mindful Society

As creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Jon Kabat-Zinn has brought the benefits of meditation practice to hundreds of thousands of people and inspired a movement that is changing our society in many ways. In this exclusive interview with the Sun’s Barry Boyce, he discusses the philosophy, goals, and promise of the mindfulness movement.

by Barry Boyce, Shambala Sun    

Barry Boyce: Does mindfulness go beyond simply cultivating our attentiveness? Jon Kabat-Zinn: The ultimate promise of mindfulness is much larger than that, more profound. It helps us understand that our conventional view of ourselves and even what we mean by “self” is incomplete in some very important ways. Mindfulness helps us recognize how and why we mistake the actuality of things for some story we create, and then makes it possible to chart a path toward greater sanity, well-being, and purpose.

Based on that understanding, how would you describe the central mission of your work? The central mission of my work and that of my colleagues at the Center for Mindfulness has been to bring universal dharma into the mainstream of human activity for the benefit of as many people as possible. That’s a very broad calling, so I chose very consciously from the beginning to anchor it in medicine and healthcare. I thought that would be the most fertile ground for introducing meditation and the wisdom and compassion of the dharma in its universal aspect to a wider world, hopefully in an authentic and meaningful way.

Why do you think a scientific approach is important in spreading the practice of mindfulness? I am not really interested in “spreading” mindfulness, so much as I am interested in igniting passion in people for what is deepest and best within all of us, but which is usually hidden and rarely accessible. Science is a particular way of understanding the world that allows some people to approach what they would otherwise shun, and so can be used as a skillful means for opening people’s minds. By bringing science together with meditation, we're beginning to find new ways, in language people can understand, to show the benefits of training oneself to become intimate with the workings of one’s own mind in a way that generates greater insight and clarity.

The science is also showing interesting and important health benefits of such mind–body training and practices, and is now beginning to elucidate the various pathways though which mindfulness may be exerting its effects on the brain (emotion regulation, working memory, cognitive control, attention, activation in specific somatic maps of the body, cortical thickening in specific regions) and the body (symptom reduction, greater physical well-being, immune function enhancement, epigenetic up and down regulation of activity in large numbers and classes of genes). It is also showing that meditation can bring a sense of meaning and purpose to life, based on understanding the nonseparation of self and other. Given the condition we find ourselves in these days on this planet, understanding our interconnectedness is not a spiritual luxury; it’s a societal imperative.

What are some of the new frontiers that mindfulness has entered in recent years? The mindfulness work is spilling into areas way beyond medicine and healthcare and also beyond psychology and neuroscience. It’s moving into programs on childbirth and parenting, education, business, athletics and professional sports, the legal profession, criminal justice, even politics. For instance, Tim Ryan, a Democratic congressman from Ohio, has become a major advocate of greater support for mindfulness research and program implementation in both healthcare and education, based on his own experiences with ongoing practice.

Healing and transformation are possible the moment we accept the actuality of things as they are—good, bad, or ugly—and then act on that understanding with imagination, kindness, and intentionality. This is not easy or painless, by any means, but it is both an embodiment of and a path toward wisdom and peace.

What’s required to teach mindfulness other than a good human heart?

If we are teaching mindfulness in one setting or another, it really needs to be grounded in our own first-person experience. It needs to be grounded in humility and not-knowing, an openness to possibility but also a deep seeing into self and other. Since it’s available to all of us, it’s not really such a big deal or a special private possession.

One of the big responsibilities of those of us who are doing this work is to nurture and mentor the younger people and those who are coming to it for the first time. We can remind them, or clarify for them, that it is not just a fad or merely a smart career move at the moment to become a mindfulness teacher or exponent. The value of mindfulness is both profound and unique. It calls us to take a deep look into the nature of experience itself, and the nature of our own minds and hearts. All of this work hinges on appreciating how awareness can balance thought. There's nothing wrong with thinking. So much that is beautiful comes out of thinking and out of our emotions. But if our thinking is not balanced with awareness, we can end up deluded, perpetually lost in thought, and out of our minds just when we need them the most.  From the March 2010 issue of the Shambhala Sun.

A Mindful Trek

This weekend, I visited the McDowell Sonoran Preserve with plans of taking a 4 or 5 mile hike. The day was lovely and fresh, I was by myself with time to spare so I decided to challenge myself by attempting the Windgate-Bell Loop which is approximately 11 miles over steep terrain. It's meant for hardy hikers and I don't consider myself to be one of those. But I wanted to push my boundaries and to test myself. I told myself that it was only important to put one foot in front of the next. Like in life, just keep moving up the hill. 

Along the way, the land unfolded and shared so much beauty. Jagged edges on the south facing side became lush mountain prairies on the northern slope. I felt connected to each curve and crack along the way. Keeping me company was Jon Kabbat-Zinn since I was listening to Coming To Our Senses. This complemented the mindful meditation of my trek. When I returned to base, I was completely exhausted but deeply fulfilled.  I was beaming with a sense of accomplishment for having the fortitude to traverse these newly charted trails.

I invite you to test you boundaries a little and live a bit outside of your box. Each person will experience that differently. But one thing is sure, the box gets smaller without testing its corners. There's a big world to delight and challenge you. Dive in and discover your own trails. You will be amazed at how good it feels to make the extra effort. 

Keep living mindfully! Debra

Understanding Mindfulness Meditation

By Tamara Warta, LifeScript

In our fast-paced world there are plenty of stress relievers available, but for many, mindfulness meditation seems to be rising to the top of the list. A derivative of Buddhist teachings from more than 2500 years ago, mindfulness involves bringing an individual’s awareness back to present time. The more people learn to “live in the moment” in such a spiritual way, the more tuned in they become to the inner and outer workings of everyday reality. Our minds are easily plagued by judgments and internal dialogue concerning other people and what they think of us. Mindfulness attempts to break that cycle and give us a pure and more refined outlook toward the world.

The Mantra of Mindfulness
The whole concept of mindfulness meditation is based upon the common knowledge that happiness does not come from what we have, as much as what we do with what we have. Focusing on this inner reality and understanding, we quickly learn that when we purge our soul of negative thoughts and attachments to situations and relationships that are damaging to us, we begin to improve how we think and feel in outer surroundings as well. Culture plagues us with the idea that more “stuff” equals happiness, and this can be either physical objects or empty friendships. Having a meditative mindset puts us back in life’s driver seat, which in turn reduces our amount of negative reactions to external issues we encounter. Some people call this process “taking thoughts captive,” while others view it as the ultimate power found in positive thinking.

Bringing the Mindfulness Practice into Your Life
One of the most appealing parts of mindfulness is that it doesn’t involve a lot of knowledge of Eastern religion, nor does it require you to commit to a certain faith or set of rules. There are plenty of meditative variants, but many demand extensive study and skill honing. Mindfulness meditation does not need to be a meditation exercise at all, but rather a process you can experience any time. You don’t need to sit in a certain position, and you don’t need to train your body to effectively perform special breathing techniques. When it comes to mindfulness, you just need to “be.” Many people find mindfulness through simple life experiences such as hearing trees blowing in the breeze or the sound of rain hitting a window pane. Simple sounds we often take advantage of can bring a tremendous comfort and strong “center” to our existence.

When we begin to enjoy simple sounds, smells and sights, we are more readily able to deal with negative thoughts and emotions. If we are tired of walking, but still have a mile to go until we can crash on our living room couch, we can focus on the sounds around us and be encouraged by the thought of taking time to enjoy nature and the beauty of being outside. This is a perfect example of mindfulness and how it can empower you to both experience and release a more positive vibe in life.

In turn, you will start to live your days filled with more health and hope than you ever thought possible.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction is exceptionally popular with those who struggle with thoughts of depression or anxiety, but do not agree with prescription medications or controversial new-age treatments in order to lift the clouds away. Practicing mindfulness, or something similar, is ideal for this large demographic who want to remain 100% in control of their thoughts and feelings, without having to rely on anything artificial to do so. Mindfulness gives the power back to the individual, rather than increasing the feelings of helplessness some of us struggle with.

Mind Over Matter, Or Using Matter for the Mind
Beyond the basic outline of mindfulness and its capabilities, many participate in what is known as continuous mindfulness practice. This involves partaking in training exercises that help to develop a heightened awareness within a person’s own environment. This is found in routine sounds, such as a grandfather clock chiming on the hour, cracks in a sidewalk or traffic lights found on a daily commute. Perfect for busy and overcommitted folks who are looking for a quick solution to otherwise unsettling days, this method is perfect when you are looking to reinvent your life. Using familiar sensory triggers throughout the day can help you feel more rooted in who you are, what your purpose is, and where you are going in life.

This process of taking physical elements of the world and applying them to the mind is now being promoted heavily in the West by psychologists who are aiding patients in the relief of stress and anxiety. It is also applied to various forms of physical therapy, namely to help people deal with chronic pain issues. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry recently reported that mindfulness stress reduction actually prevented a fair amount of suicide attempts in 2006, and its positive effects on mental illness in particular have been recognized and applauded by many mental-health professionals.

Getting to a place of mindfulness does not command a lot of time. Most experts in such meditation techniques recommend spending 10-20 minutes in the relaxed state of mind.

Some people confuse mindfulness with mindlessness! Mindfulness meditation does not mean checking out from reality, but quite the opposite. It helps you to embrace reality and re-evaluate your life with a more rational and healthy perspective.  Meditation exercises do not require a complete clearing of the mind. In fact, many thoughts will come to the surface when you finally take the time to be still and process.

The technique comes in when you can acknowledge the thoughts and release them without causing a hindrance. The whole goal of mindfulness is to discourage self-absorption and find joy and peace in all of the daily encounters of life. Some succeed at this better than others; however, most agree that mindfulness is a helpful addition to their life.