Mindfulness Techniques- My story
Mindfulness (noun)
-a therapeutic technique that involves focusing one's awareness on the present moment, calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
It sounds very technical when defined like that. Allow me to elaborate using my own experiences?
The mind is a complex feature in our body's system. Every part of the body is equally important but I like to place the mind right at the top of the list.
The mind allows us to exercise the one gift God graced us with. Choice. Life is choices. Deciding to get out of bed will impact the rest of your day. Deciding what color sweater to wear will impact your mood. Deciding what to career path to choose will impact your life. Choices, choices, choices.
We can't run away from them. If you've ever played the simulation game called "Choices", you understand what I mean. We may not be deciding whether to hook up with our Vampire bosses or deciding whether we want to attend the ball hosted by the prince. We are still making everyday choices.
In this vain, the mind does a lot more than you may have anticipated. We need to ensure our minds are in the right position to make steady decisions. You can't run 1km in a marathon with a bad knee. You need to let it heal. Even with a good knee you couldn't run that without practice. Mindfulness is the same.
Mindfulness is a type of exercise or warm-up for..? Yes you guessed it, the mind.
Over the years I have picked up a few mindfulness techniques and I hope they help you as well as they have helped me.
1. Journaling
The year was 2019. I was in my tenth grade. English was my favorite subject. My favorite paper to write was English paper 1 because of the compositions. This was always a chance for me to go crazy and write "the next great novel" summary.
We had a test once and the task was simple.
'Write a paragraph of a composition. The only exception is that it can't be the introduction or the conclusion.'
How excited was little me? Everyone groaned while my brain lit up. If it where a Disney movie you may have seen an actual light bulb over my head! I thought of the greatest story (which reminds me that I need to get started on it). It was titled "Her Father's Daughter". Thought provoking, I know. I was so sure I'd get an amazing grade as I drafted a chapter of this long, long story.
I submitted it with a smile, but the results where nothing to grin about. 40% out of 100%, the lowest percentile of the class!? How? I spoke to him and all he could say was "You wrote a concluding paragraph".
I felt insulted, this was merely the beginning of my main character's story. Who was he to guess how my story ends?
I wish I could say I left it at that. I opened my desk, grabbed an empty A4 sized book and I started to vent. I needed to put it down on paper, in ink.
And that, my dears, is how I started journaling.
At first it was about venting about tiny issues, till it became routine and I couldn't go a day without writing in my book.
It kept me calm, aware and helped me look back at times that made me smile. This helped my mind focus on things, and slowed down my reaction time to stressful situations. I have short-term memory loss, so this helps a well😂.
These days it so much easier to journal, there tons of apps that make the experience worthwhile. I am currently using a Gratitude Journal that has prompts to help if you're not sure what to write.
Save your mind from the misery of keeping traumatic thoughts, write it down and live another day.
2. Breathing
Sounds simple enough right? No it isn't. When your mind floods with these fast-paced, unstoppable, horrific thoughts it's almost like you forget to breathe.
The year was 2020.
Covid-19 hit, I was out of school indefinetely, home affairs were rocky, I wasn't happy about my body, understatement-I wasn't happy about anything.
I was so out of this living thing. It felt like I was just moving through time, letting each day walk over me. I wouldn't wish this feeling on my worst enemy.
One evening, after a routine existence for the day I decided to take a bath. I filled the dish like every other day, the water was cold like every other day, but instead of getting in to bathe I just stared at the water. No there was no reflection of myself in the water telling me no, there was noting in the water. That's what I wanted, to be nothing, just for a bit.
I dunked my head. No thoughts, or all the thoughts rushed through my mind so fast I couldn't hear anything. It was quiet, for once. And I felt the bubbles rush out of my nose first quickly and slower as I just held myself in place.
The human body is built to survive. At the first sign of a life ending event it will fight to continue living. After what felt like forever I raised my head and I took what felt like my first breath. This is obviously a longer story, but because of that breath everything in me changed.
Till this day, if I suddenly feel overwhelmed, I close my eyes and take a breath.
I like to believe the science behind it is you're sending oxygen to your brain and giving it a moment to organize itself before you start up again.
When life feels like too much do not be afraid to take a minute, count to 10, close your eyes and breathe.
3. Meditation
The story of how I found meditation helpful is shorter, I hope. It's a classic girl meets boy, girl likes boy, girl obsesses over boy, girl cannot control her thoughts about boy, girl almost loses it because of boy.
I decided I needed to train my mind to not continually think about said boy. I though meditation would be easy and it would help. So I downloaded an app called Calm, cause that's how I wanted to feel. I tried a minute and opened my eyes every 10 seconds, I sucked at it. But with time and discipline I managed to get through 5 minutes of guided meditation.
Guided meditation is the easier of the two, a gentle voice prompts you to specific thoughts. Unguided meditation is just your mind and the sound of birds, trees, water, wind anything 'calming'.
With time I began to enjoy unguided meditation more because it was an opportunity to clear my mind, reassure myself, obsess to the fullest and even pray. Yes, I have the most unconventional praying methods.
That aside I found meditation so helpful that I do it every time I am trying to focus on a task, idea for a poem, or bible verse translation and meaning in my life.
4. Yoga
According to google yoga is,
For me, yoga is a bunch of stretches that are good for my body and my mind.
Good for the mind, how is that possible?
This is a combination of breathing, meditation and physical exercise. For the Hindu it's a spiritual experience, for me it's a mental cleanse. With the right music, or guided meditation it's a moment for me to renew my mental sanity while, getting that one good crack in the spine.I highly recommend it.
5. Prayer
I believe everyone has their own way of praying. I am not everyone & not everyone will be happy about my methods. That said, your relationship with your higher being (mine being God) is extremely personal.
It is necessary and almost human in nature to look to something greater than you. God is that one thing, the only constant in my life. I am ever changing, ever developing but he stays the same.
This makes it easier to talk to him. Friends change, and their current situations may make it hard to share certain experiences with them. Talking to God has never felt different.
In my eighth grade, I wrote letters to him. Actual handwritten letters. For his address I put in,
Heaven
Answered Prayers Street
House number 7
I sealed them and on the outside was a bible verse that touched me before I wrote the letter.
In my tenth grade, my journal was directed at him. I spoke to him openly like a friend, because that's what he is.
Now I just open my mouth and say the words. I explain in vivid detail how I am feeling and run him by my plans. Some of my poetry is a prayer to him or a livid cry for help.
I rarely get down on my knees because every moment I am walking, I'm already airing out my problems and singing my praises to my bestfriend.
That said every other activity or technique listed above involves prayer because at the end of the day God is the only clarity you need. I breathe in and say a prayer. My journal is directed at him. I meditate to gain a deeper understanding of what he wants me to do.
If you do not have a deep connection with your greater being I urge you to build one as soon as possible, your mind needs that clarity.
Which of these techniques are you already using?
Which do you think is the most helpful?
What is your story?
Helpful resources
Meditation apps you should definitely try.
