Threads of Peace: Weaving Mindfulness Into Your Free Time
By: Shayna Wieferich, Wellness Coordinator I
From my experience, practicing mindfulness can sometimes feel challenging. Although I know mindfulness can improve my life, I often find myself too distracted to even try. There are many benefits to mindfulness. Setting aside time for mindfulness in the morning can improve focus and productivity throughout the day. Allowing space for the present moment can help us approach the day with greater composure and clarity. It is a powerful practice, so I encourage you unto explore these benefits on your own.
Here, I would like to focus on a trick to take you from “ I want to practice mindfulness, but I can’t get myself to make time for it” to “I am enjoying my mindfulness practice.” Mindfulness simply means being fully present in the moment. It involves observing your thoughts, feelings and environment without judgement. Mindfulness does not require sitting quietly in a meditative posture, although that is one option. It can be practiced anywhere, at any time. The first time I was coached on mindfulness was in the context of mindful eating. I described my bean burger as having good flavor but an unpleasant texture. In hindsight, I realized I was not practicing true mindfulness, as the adjectives I used were full of judgment. Whoops!
This experience did teach me an important lesson though, and this is what I’d like to pass along to you - Mindfulness can be applied to all areas of life. For example, I enjoy birding, and during the recent spring migration, I spent a considerable amount of time outdoors observing birds. I want to walk you through an example of mindful birding, and I encourage you to give it a try as well. If you are new to birding, consider sitting near a bird feeder.
Before a bird even appears, I take inventory of my surroundings and the current conditions. The morning sun is still working on warming the air. I feel the t-shirt on my skin, recognizing the chill on my exposed arms. I think “ I should have worn a sweater.” I observed the thought and release it, returning to the present moment. I sit amoung mature aspen trees. I hear the breeze gently shaking their leaves. There are a few pines interspersed, and as the sun shines on them, they become aromatic. The scent takes me back to a warm summer hike in California. Another thought to observe and release. As I quietly observe my experience, a bird arrives. Its flight has a wave-like motion, with short bursts of flapping followed by glides. After it lands, I’m able to get a closer look. It is a medium-sized bird that is white with dense black barring on its back and a red cap and nape. It has a long black bill. I feel the frustration of not knowing which species of woodpecker this is. It calls out a shrill, rolling churr, pulling me back into the present moment. I watch as it flies off, navigating through trees while staying below the forest canopy. The sun finally cuts through the leaves, and I feel its warmth on my skin.
My observation lasted 4 seconds. I didn’t have a lot to go off, but when I looked at my reference materials, I had more than enough info to ID this as a Red-bellied Woodpecker. The experience was filled with clues, many of which I may have missed without full presence. The habitat, the sound the bird made, the flight pattern, the plumage - it all pointed towards a positive identification. I was able to do something I love while treating my mind to a much-needed rest from rumination.
It’s not about perfection. Notice how I needed to repeatedly pull myself back from distraction. That is part of the practice! I hope you find ways to incorporate mindfulness into activities you enjoy. I was encouraged to start small, with just one meal. Begin somewhere and remain consistent. I incorporate mindfulness into birding, but it can be anything you love. Gardening, car repair, cooking, playing with your pets - whatever brings you joy, get even more out of it with intentional, mindful moments. Yoga is particularly beneficial when coupled with mindfulness, as your physical and mental state connect with each controlled breath and each slow, deliberate movement. Sacred
Transcendence offers yoga classes four days a week. The classes offered here are a fantastic way to cultivate present-moment awareness. We look forward to hearing about how this practice works for you!
