Mindfulness is a term of the English language that, in Portuguese, means mindfulness. This is a very direct word. Mindfulness suggests that the mind is completely aware of what is happening, what you are doing, the space we are occupying.

It may seem trivial, except for the annoying fact: our mind has the tendency to take flight literally. It is common to be listening to someone’s dialogue and suddenly realize that our thoughts are already elsewhere. Flying! Divagating! Thinking about what to do for dinner, next month’s trip, vacation plans, etc. We lose contact with our body with ease. It is very common to care about the future. And it increases our anxiety much .

It is the practice of maintaining a state of increased awareness, free of judgment, of your thoughts, emotions, and experiences in the present. The state or ability to be aware or aware of something. Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your own body, mind, feelings and thoughts to create a state of peace and tranquility.

Some synonyms are alertness, care, concentration, awareness and attention. Mindfulness is about observing yourself without criticism, having compassion for yourself. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention in order to create space for perception.

No matter how far our mind may move away, mindfulness helps us to get back to where we are and what we are doing and feeling. If you want to know what is mindfulness, it is best to practice for a while.

Minfulness: the practice of mindfulness

Mindfulness or mindfulness is the basic human capacity to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not overly reactive or oppressed by what is happening around us.

Although mindfulness is innate, it can be cultivated through proven techniques, exercises to practice sitting, walking, standing or through moving meditation (it is also possible to lie down but can often lead to sleep). Brief breaks that we insert into everyday life, mixing the practice of meditation with other activities, such as yoga or sports. Through these pauses, you allow yourself to be happy and to live the present moment.

The Meditation

When meditating, do not worry about setting a particular technique, just practice. Pay attention to your breathing, the present moment and the environment around you. When we are attentive, we reduce stress, become more resilient, gaining knowledge and awareness through the observation of our own mind. We raise our attention to the well-being of others and we become more assertive.

Through meditation we can suspend judgment and unleash our natural curiosity about the workings of the mind by approaching our experience with compassion and kindness – for ourselves and for others.

Some Things to Know About Mindfulness:

1) Minfulness is not something occult or esoteric. It is a practice familiar to us because it is what we already do, as we already are. It takes many forms and goes by many names.

2) Mindfulness is not an added special thing we do. We already have the ability to be present, and it does not require us to change who we are. We can cultivate these innate qualities with simple, scientifically demonstrated practices to benefit our loved ones, our friends and neighbors, the people we work with, and the institutions and organizations in which we participate.

3) No need to change. Solutions that demand to change who we are or become something we are not usually fail. Mindfulness recognizes and cultivates the best of who we are as human beings.

4) Mindfulness has the potential to become a transformative social phenomenon. Here’s why:

Anyone can do this

The practice of mindfulness cultivates universal human qualities and does not require anyone to alter their beliefs. Everyone can benefit and it is easy to learn.

It’s a way of living

Mindfulness is more than just a practice. This brings awareness and attention to everything we do – and reduces unnecessary stress . Even a little makes our lives better.

It is based on evidence

We do not have to be aware of the faith. Both science and experience demonstrate their positive benefits to our health, happiness , work, and relationships.

This causes innovation

As we deal with the increasing complexity and uncertainty of our world, mindfulness can lead us to effective, resilient , low-cost responses to seemingly intransigent problems.

Meditation is not all in your head

Meditation begins and ends in the body. This involves taking the time to pay attention to where we are and what is happening, and this begins with the knowledge of our body. This same act can be reassuring, since our body has internal rhythms that help you relax if we have a chance.

How to sit down?

Here is a posture practice that can be used as the initial step of a meditation practice period or simply as something to do for a minute, perhaps to stabilize and find a moment of relaxation before returning to work. If you have experienced negative emotions or other physical difficulties, you can modify this according to your situation.

1) Get your seat

Whatever you are sitting in – a chair, a cushion, a meditation mat, a park bench – find a place that gives you a solid, solid seat, do not get bent or hung.

2) Notice what your legs are doing

on a cushion on the floor, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. (If you already do some kind of sitting yoga posture, go ahead). If you are in a chair, it is recommended that your feet touch the floor.

3) Straighten

But, do not harden your upper body. The spine has a natural curvature. Let her be there. Your head and shoulders can rest comfortably on top of your vertebrae.

4) Place the upper arms parallel to the upper body.

Then let your hands fall on your upper legs. With your arm at your side, your hands will settle into the right place. Being too far forward will make you throb. Too late will make you rigid. You are adjusting the strings of your body – not too tight and not too loose.

5) Release the chin a little and let your gaze drop gently down

You can leave your eyelids lower. If you feel the need, you can lower them completely, but you do not have to close your eyes when meditating. You can simply observe what appears in front of your eyes without concentrating on it.

6) Stay for a while

Relax! Now, get up and follow your day. If, on the next activity on the agenda, you notice yourself using some conscious attention technique, such as paying attention to your breathing or the sensations in your body, you have started on the right foot!

7) Start Over

When your posture is established, feel your breath. Breathe and exhale deeply. Pay attention to your breathing. Inevitably, your attention will leave your breath and wander to other places. When you realize this – in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes – turn your attention to the breath. Repeat internally: exhale and inhale until you turn your attention to the breath. Come back. You leave, you return.

8) Breathe

Breathing is not just for oxygen absorption. Ella is linked to the functioning and behavior of the brain. Scientists have discovered for the first time that the rhythm of breathing creates electrical activity in the human brain and is responsible for improving emotional judgment and memory recovery. The effects on behavior depend critically on how you inhale or exhale and whether you breathe through the nose or mouth.