“BREATH IS THE BRIDGE WHICH CONNECTS LIFE TO CONSCIOUSNESS, WHICH UNITES YOUR BODY TO YOUR THOUGHTS”
Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist Monk

MINDFULNESS ~ AWARENESS ~ REMEMBERING ~ ATTENTION

When we are mindful, we pay attention to what is happening; we are in the moment.

When we are aware of our thoughts and our feelings we are being mindful, aware of our actions and reactions to life experiences.

When we practice mindfulness we are, in fact, meditating, there is no difference. To practice mindfulness is to bring awareness into each moment of our lives; it is to live in the present moment. When we live in the present moment, we live fully, not remaining in our past pain, nor looking to the future for happiness.

There are many ways in which to meditate, hundreds of different techniques, mindful breathing being just one of them. You can practice mindful breathing while walking, driving the car, or sitting in a quiet room. Sitting quietly and allowing thoughts and images to pass through your mind without becoming involved with them, but instead focusing on the breath allows you to attain a calm state of mind. Mindful breathing allows the body to become tranquil, relieving stress and tension, bringing you to the present moment, and to a state of relaxation. This meditation can be done first thing in the morning to help you begin your day with a feeling of inner peace, in the middle of the day to help you refocus, or in the evening to release the chaos of the day. When we become mindful, we can communicate with more compassion and loving kindness.

The key to living mindfully is practice! Each time the mind wanders, bring it back to the present moment, to the task at hand. Take a moment to watch the breath come into your body, and again watch as you exhale. Breathing consciously will bring more awareness to whatever you are doing AT THAT MOMENT.

During a yoga ASANA practice you become mindful. Your awareness is on the pose you are doing: Is your leg straight? Are you finding alignment? Are you letting go of the tension in your back? While you are focusing on these points, you are IN THE MOMENT, therefore you are practicing MINDFULNESS. Yoga helps you become aware of the tightness and the pain in the physical body, and with mindfulness you become aware of the fluctuations of the mind. It is through a yoga asana practice that you learn to meditate. Asana teaches the body to release stress and tension, and it brings about a calm and peaceful feeling. It is when the body has achieved this feeling of relaxation that it can learn to be in a meditative state. Meditation is part of yoga and must be learned through the steps of a yoga practice: asana, breath control and breath awareness, and withdrawal of the senses. These are part of the eight limbs of yoga, what Mr. Iyengar calls the "petals" of yoga. Yoga and meditation are an inward quest for understanding of the self and the world around you. They will bring you to a state of mindfulness.

When you become mindful you can be of better service to others. You can care more deeply for your family. You can have more compassion for others in your community. You can help bring peace to others through your own inner peace. Mindfulness brings awareness, and it is a place to start learning to live fully in the present moment.