DEVELOP YOUR BODY, INSPIRE YOUR MIND, OPEN YOUR HEART, ELEVATE YOUR SPIRIT

Heart And Mind Matters Things to Think about Tina Thrussell

Mindfulness Makes a Difference

I think it was in 2021 that I found an article written by Rob Charchun, an off-campus teacher/coordinator for five schools who has been practicing mindfulness meditation for about 22 years and using mindfulness meditation in his classrooms for the last 20 years. The last paragraph of Rob’s article really caught my attention. He wrote:

“Unless you are living in an ashram or deep in the forest, you are certainly aware of our society’s movement toward speed, aggression, materialism, spiritual materialism and ultimately, aggression. This personally generates some distinct and specific anxieties within me. I am witnessing similar results with our youth. Mindfulness meditation not only works as a response or a remedy to that but more importantly, acts to awaken our natural tendencies towards a higher level manifestation of the truly human spirit.

I love that statement about the potential of mindfulness practices. Rob isn’t the first to say that mindfulness not only helps to reduce/reverse the negative effects of the fast-paced, materialist, aggressive lifestyle we’ve been living, mindfulness also helps us to evolve, to become more loving, kind, compassionate beings.  

I’ve been introducing the concept of mindfulness to people for the last six years or so with “Discover Mindfulness” seminars and classes. I catch people’s interest and attention by pointing out all the mental and physical benefits of mindfulness, which include (but are not limited to):

  • reducing the effects of stress, such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc; improving sleep;
  • alleviating anxiety and depression;
  • generating greater peace and calm.

Once I have people’s attention, I teach them techniques to calm their bodies and minds, to help them be more present to the moment so they can experience more ease and joy in their lives.

As Rob says, “The typical feelings of reduced stress and anxiety are only a shadow of the overall benefits. The broader range of positive changes include:

  • A growing sense of loving kindness and gentleness.
  • Behaving in a balanced way.
  • Awareness that translates as “wakefulness”.
  • Internal, emotional and spiritual balance – ‘equanimity’.
  • Spiritual generosity.
  • An ever-increasing sense of being in touch with your wisdom centers.
  • A feeling of ‘universal wisdom’ manifesting (known as Prajna).
  • A soft-hearted and kind type of confidence.
  • A ‘rich’ texture to your day that you might call “awareness of everyday beauty”.
  • A tendency to act on the direct behalf of others (doing, giving, creating or even limiting what I can for the needs of others).

In short, mindfulness is more than a meditation to relieve tension and stress. Mindfulness is a way of life that helps you grow into a more compassionate human being. Mindfulness gifts you with a richer, fuller lifestyle.

If you’ve thought about looking at mindfulness but haven’t made it a lifestyle for yourself, give it a second thought! It can make a huge difference to your stress levels, your health, your relationships and your happiness.

If you already engage in mindfulness practices on a regular basis, I congratulate you! I’d love to hear how your life has changed through mindfulness. You can write to me at info@shindao.com

I know that mindfulness has made a world of difference in my life, and I consider it a critical aspect of living the Shin Dao – the Way of the Heart.

If you’d like to delve more deeply into mindfulness with me, give me a call at 403-860-7311 and we’ll talk about what that might look like for you.

In the meantime, create a beautiful week!

Big hugs,
Tina

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