Mindfulness is the key to staying in the present
I have read a few books on Mindfulness and seen that there are potential solution for keeping a balance to my hectic life. While perusing through the magazine rack at Whole Foods, I came across a new magazine titled Mindfulness. It’s well worth checking out and offers content rich articles related to techniques, examples and building a personal mindfulness practice.
How often in racing, training, business and life do you find you mind wandering all over the place and having difficulty staying in the present? Having participated in various forms of Yoga for recovery and strength over the years I never fully understood all the meditation benefits. After reading the following 3 books, the practice of mindfulness was crystallized and specifically the methodology and how to incorporate into my already busy life: Coming To Our Senses, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mindfulness – An Eight Week Plan for finding Peace in a Frantic World, Mark Williams and Danny Penman, and Turning The Mind Into an Ally, Sakyong Mipham. Check them out if you want a comprehensive understanding along with specific mindfulness daily plans.
A common theme throughout my readings was that mediation would be difficult as many outside influences will enter and leave the mind continuously. I was surprised after my beginning sessions that I was able to fully stay in the present and continued to focus on my breath while “body scanning”. All the years of mental focus in racing and business must be the reasons that it was not as difficult as I envisioned. The challenge is going to be increasing the time periods while maintaining focus on the present.
I am now completely hooked after several weeks and my beginning sessions started with two 8-minute sessions per day. My mind is clearer, more observant to surroundings and has helped to stay in the present especially with swim workouts where my mind always tends to think of so many things, and feel even more energy every morning. If you have disregarded meditation in the past definitely consider it to your overall personal wellness plan.