Stress-Free Living
How often do we get up in the morning and absentmindedly stumble to the kitchen put on the kettle or coffee pot and numb to our bodies, lost in thought head to bathroom duties? Once we fill that first cup many of us automatically set ourselves on autopilot and fly through the day. What if, instead, we take this advantage of this time to practice mindfulness – to tune into the present moment and be present for ourselves and others.
Let’s practice taking a moment before we start our day to scan our body, mind and emotional sense of being. Notice how you brush your teeth, feel each stroke, relax the facial muscles and take several deep abdominal breaths to calm the mind. Lowering the breath into the belly relaxes the nervous system and can help us to feel more grounded.
The key to ‘waking up,’ is to maintain an open, spacious awareness of our surroundings, connect with all of our senses and continue our routine with acute attention to breath and body. Notice the weight of the spoon that you are eating your oatmeal with, take a deep breath and smell your food before putting it on your mouth, notice the sound of the birds outside, use all of the senses to get back to the present moment.
Try concentrating on your hands to anchor the mind, noting sensations such as texture, temperature, vibration, how others respond to your touch. To re-establish mindfulness when attention wanes choose a recurring land mark in your routine – your coffee cup, water glass … you get the idea. Each time that you come back to that landmark check in with awareness. If your attention wanders off to day-dreaming, to-do lists, or a rehashing of an old confrontation, notice, and as you are able come back to the present, back to the sensations in the hands.
We can further explore the body’s experience, as well as work on posture, by checking in with your tender places. Am I leaning in to listen and straining my back? How long have I been in one position? Does my body need to move? Can I relax my jaw? Becoming aware of where the body feels stressed can give you information about where to focus in your yoga practice and bring new awareness to the routine we live in.
As we practice this type of mindfulness, we become more skilled at paying attention and we can develop the awareness of how all of our day to day experiences land in our bodies. When conflict arises, notice how the body and the mind feel and if you are aware enough to pay attention to the sensations and feelings that arise. Practice being curious about how these experiences affect the body and the mind. Dissolve any agitation by repeating an affirmation of compassion such as, “May I feel at ease,” “May we all feel heard and seen,” and one of my favourites, “I am loving awareness.”
Gradually, as we learn to use our morning/daily routine as mindfully as in our yoga practice, we can set in motion a more relaxed, awake, conscious state of being that will promote overall wellness and peace of mind for you and those around you.