When we are mindful, touching deeply the present moment, we can see and listen deeply, and the fruits are always understanding, acceptance, love, and the desire to relieve suffering and bring joy.
Thich Nhat Hanh
I wrote this before the outcome of last night, before we came face to face with what is now very real as individuals, a community, nation, and world. In lieu of making a longer statement about being present and patient with our emotions while encouraging us to stick together, I will simply say that I continue to offer my love and support to you. May we honor how we feel right now, remembering that all things shift. If you need to talk or share please do not hesitate to reach out, and consider discovering ways in which mindfulness practices might support you as we unite and move forward.
And so, in light of recent Mindful Morning events conducted by myself and sweet friend/fellow food enthusiast Paige Gregor – not to mention the various beasts released during the election experience – I thought it appropriate to take a step back and discuss my perspective of what mindfulness is all about.
First of all, it is all relative. Mindfulness practices to me (yoga, cooking, meditating, dancing, laughing, swimming) might look very different for you in your life, but I can attest to the general idea of it being an unclouded observation of the present moment. Unbiased recognition, clear understanding, whatever you want to dub it.
Paige and I created these events as an ode to the part of the day where we first greet ourselves, taking our first steps into moving forward in a mindful manner. I wanted to share with my community that, whether we are a nutty New Yorker or parent or roommate or dedicated employee, we can begin the day by being aware of ourselves and our surroundings and hopefully take those practices with us throughout our remaining waking hours.
Often movement is part of experiencing the early hours because it is known that stretching our limbs and/or breaking a sweat attributes to a more positive mood. Laine Bergeson’s recent article for Be Well explains that “‘Sweat has been shown to boost endorphins and make you happy, which many people feel after a workout,’ says [Ayurvedic Dr. John] Douillard. ‘The sweat is thought to soothe the sensory neurons on the skin, which in turn could trigger an endorphin response.'”
As such, Paige’s and my Mindful Mornings consisted of yoga and meditation led by yours truly, followed by a beautiful, homemade, organic meal by Paige. I often expect people to take food to-go and run off to work, but what winds up happening is easeful conversation while enjoying breakfast, including questions about how and why this idea came to be.
Mornings are so important to Paige and myself because it is our time to begin the practice of self-nourishment in our own unique ways. Even on days when I personally have to wake up and rush out the door, I always take a moment to do something for me, whether it’s taking a few breaths before I get out of bed or quickly envisioning how I want my day to unfold, or a full-fledged ritual of oil pulling, hot water with lemon, yoga and meditation [ideal scenario].
When we begin the day in a mindful way, we can more clearly observe ourselves and our actions throughout the rest of our waking hours. This might translate to anything from reacting less viciously to uncomfortable situations, choosing to eat something that will fuel our bodies rather than make us crash, remembering to take a reusable water bottle with us instead of consuming plastic ones, and so on.
Studies are popping up left and right about the result of mindfulness practices in correlation to the reduction of stress. Frank Lipman’s Be Well reports that “… Mindfulmagazine counts the ways mindfulness practice lessens stress — nine of them, to be exact, including becoming more aware of your thoughts, increasing the care and compassion you feel for yourself and others, and reducing activity in the amygdala, which places a key role in turning on the stress response. (Mindful)”
In the first several of the Yoga Sutras, it is explained that yoga is the practice of dissolving delusional chattering and thoughts to more clearly see our true Selves. What better time to begin this activity than when we first open our eyes in the morning?
Like yoga, mindfulness will vary for each individual based on our lifestyles, but all it requires is our attention. Free of charge, no judgements, just a willingness to observe ourselves as we are. Dictionary.com literally defines mindfulness as “a technique in which one focuses one’s full attention on only the present, experiencing thoughts, feelings and sensations but not judging them [and] the mental state maintained by the use of this technique.”
Here are seven simple mindfulness practices to consider and make your own, taken from my recent article featured on MindBodyGreen:
1. When you wake up, place a hand on your heart, chest, or belly.
Say hello to yourself and give thanks that you have woken up to another unique human experience.
2. Envision your day.
In yoga, it is important to practice paying attention to the present moment. You can keep your hands at your heart or in a mudra in order to anchor your awareness to the moment while you visualize how you want your day to unfold.
3. Practice yoga.
Whether in bed, on a mat, or in whatever space you have, take a few simple stretches to open up your body and prepare for the day. Even if it’s just a simple twist on your back in bed, or postures for the arms sitting upright at the edge of the bed—like gomukhasana or garudasana—or just a big, good morning stretch with the arms overhead when you stand up, all of these are a way of taking time for yourself and your body, for however long you have time to do so.
4. Drink water and chew your food.
Whether it’s good old H2O or hot water with lemon, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Enjoy breakfast without distraction if and when possible. If you do have to check email at your desk during breakfast, at the very least take a few pauses to chew thoroughly, taste your nourishing food, and breathe calmly.
5. Choose food for breakfast that will fuel you up instead of drag you down.
Whether you eat within one hour of waking up like some theories suggest or simply wait until you are hungry, listen to your body and respond accordingly. Eat enough to hold you over until lunch, and take it easy on pounding caffeine to avoid potential oncoming energy crashes later on. Opt for fresh ingredients that you can pronounce, and do your best to avoid excess sugar.
6. If possible, wait a while before plugging into cyberspace.
Consider meditating, journaling, or stretching before going down the interweb rabbit hole, and enjoy being with yourself, doing things for yourself in your own way and on your own time, with only yourself to answer to. Even if it’s just deep breaths before getting out of bed, take those precious moments to be with yourself, just as you are.
In moments like what we are all experiencing now, it is inconceivably difficult to practice being mindful and present. Please understand it does not mean we need to be zen masters or turn the other cheek, it in fact provides us with an opportunity to be even more connected to ourselves, our values, and each other, and to act accordingly.
What does mindfulness mean or look like to you, whether during this time in our country or in general?
Photo: wearing Hyde organic apparel, with my retreat co-leader Giulia Pline, photographed in NYC by Renee Choi.
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