I view mindfulness as a source of happiness and contentment; it acts as energy in order to fulfill one’s presence. This helps us recognize conditions that are current in our lives and moments of each day. As you inhale and breathe in life, you are becoming aware of your breath and acknowledging being alive.
With all the hustle and bustle of our modernized mindsets, we often forget about our presence in the universe and focus more intently on worries, frustration, regrets, and decisions. Considering this as absentmindedness, you’re unable to be in the present.
In order to recognize the conditions of mindfulness, you must allow yourself to feel truly here, right now in this moment, with your mind and body collective. If you’ve continuously asked yourself how to make the effort to be mindful, the beauty is that there is no effort necessary, the truth is to just enjoy it.
1. Focus on the breath.
Allow the breath to take root and start to become aware of it. Inhale four seconds, exhale for six. Making the exhale longer increases a calmer energy. Fill up your body from your fingertips to your toes and up to the top of your head. As you breathe in and out, you’re bringing yourself together with your mind and body. This way, you can accept happiness that is surrounding you as it comes naturally.
2. Step with purpose.
As you walk through daily motions, mindfully step with peace and harmony. Remind yourself that each step helps you fulfill something larger, that all things are possible with the assistance of the breath. Each step is peace. Each step is rejuvenation. Each step touches the curiosities of life around you.
3. The power of silence.
During your practice, stop talking and listen to your breath’s rhythm. The noises surrounding you are just a distraction, focus on the inside -- thought. This mental discourse going on and on is a specific type of silence, it’s powerful and genuine. The silence that we focus on heals and revives us. Being attentive of something specific maintains this awareness. By fully fixating on this mindfulness, you have the ability to achieve insight. Concentrate on meditating on yourself and the pleasant and unpleasant feelings that come with that. As well-known Buddhist, Thich Nhat Hanh, mentions, "Anything can be the object of your meditation, with the powerful energy of concentration, you can make a breakthrough."
4. Happiness comes from contentment.
Allow the practice to unfold. Simply let the experience be as you find it. Try not to suppress feelings that may arise, instead, follow the sensations of your breath. As you go throughout your day, try to take mindfulness with you. Follow your breath through chores, relaxation time, or work. In any of these moments, you can bring yourself back to the present through practice. By building our capacity, we are enriching ourselves with presence and creativity. Feel the vibrancy and energy of this newfound peace. Bring your mind home to your body, become alive, and take an active part on Earth.
You are unlimited. May this day bring you peace and tranquility.
