The Mindfulness muscle

Today another great article on meditation from the science world .. from Psychology Today : "The neuroscience of mindfulness".

Mindfulness has indeed be around for thousands of years in the Buddhist traditions, but sometimes this religious flavour stops people from being open to exploring the wonders of mindfulness. Thus the flow of research and articles (on meditation and mindfulness practices) are brilliant for spreading the word and expanding our understanding of mindfulness from a scientific perspective. Some people just need to hear the 'science view', while I know others just experience things for themselves in their own inner laboratory.

But as the author David Rock points out "... mindfulness, in some ways, is simply the opposite of mindlessness. And mindlessness is the cause of a tremendous amount of human suffering."

I know the world would be a better place if we all took a moment to meditate each day .. and mindfulness is a wonderful practice because you can 'practice' all day every day. You don't need a set time or your favourite cushion, altar or other 'accessories' .. to practice mindfulness you just need to stop and slow down and observe. I remember my mindfulness practice when I wash the dishes (not at all original in Buddhist circles) but also when washing my hair in the warm shower, and also hanging out the washing.

"The key to practicing mindfulness is just to practice focusing your attention onto a direct sense, and to do so often." .. "You can practice mindfulness while you are eating, walking, talking, doing just about anything". So there is really no excuse for not getting a little more mindful .. just take three mindful breaths before starting a meal, or before entering a room for a meeting .. this will definitely build your 'mindfulness' muscle.