Mindfulness is a term you may have heard which is often used in relation to meditation practices and can be defined as being fully aware of something at the present moment in time. Another way of describing mindfulness is being actively conscious of something for a period of time, all the while living the experience. We all engage in mindfulness from time-to-time and most often we do so without trying. For example, when you see that gorgeous sunrise while on holidays and you take a moment to soak-in the colours and to feel the warmth of the sun. What make mindfulness different from simply admiring the sunrise is that when you admire the sunrise, you’re observing it and analyze it’s beauty; when you shift into mindfulness, you stop observing it and begin to ‘experience’ the sunrise as it happens.
For mindfulness to occur, you must disconnect from your thoughts and make the shift to the ‘experience’ as you are living it in the moment. Many times those moments are fleeting, yet they are usually profound and remembered for a long time. Mindfulness moments in our lives have the effect of giving us a break or a mini-vacation from the constant stresses experienced in life. Moments of mindfulness also has a powerful effect on the body/mind/spirit by raising a sense of gratitude and appreciation from within and can trigger a transcendental connection with your life and the Universe as you perceive and understand it.
