Mindfulness: All the Way

The word ‘mindfulness’ is one which has become a cliché. Yet not many understand it clearly. It remains abstract and mysterious for most. So let’s understand the true meaning of mindfulness today while it is still fresh in my mind due to a training session I conducted today on the topic.

WHY has the Time magazine done 2 cover stories on the Mindfulness Revolution, or Google, Nike, SAP implemented entire programs on Mindfulness? Evidence from research by Gallup, HBR…shows that people who were earlier feeling disengaged, fatigued, stressed, after practising mindfulness became more productive at work, happier and more satisfied in life. So, if you are working for a Mindful Company, great! Otherwise you must try and develop mindfulness on your own, for your benefit~to begin with.

So HOW to go about it? First of all, Mindfulness can be developed at the physical level, at the emotional level, at the mental level, and the Spiritual level. At physical level, if you go for a walk and pay full attention to your steps, this is an example of physical mindfulness.

Next, let us turn the attention to emotional mindfulness. Generally, when you are in a meeting, someone may cut you off. Your first response may be to retaliate. But if you are mindful, you will choose between the stimulus and the response by using your free will mindfully.

Turning now to mental mindfulness, you need to pay attention and recognize the thoughts which enter the mind. If we have positive thoughts, then there is no problem. But with negative ones we may practice opposition thinking. Stop-check-change.

Lastly, spiritual mindfulness. The most common and effective one is to meditate, focusing all the attention on one particular point, like a Mantra, a beautiful scenario, or the breath.

When we make a concerted effort through numerous tried and tested techniques, to become mindful at any or all the four levels that is formal mindfulness practice; on the other hand when we do not focus specifically but mindfulness becomes a way of life it is informal mindfulness. Hope you practice mindfulness and improve yourself, your productivity, your happiness quotient.