The busy life with different tasks and concerns, making us distance ourselves from the peace of mind and, often, developing chronic diseases such as anxiety and depression. Known in Brazil as Mindfulness or Present Mind, Mindfulness Meditation brings a set of techniques used to develop the mental state of attention and awareness. For those who practice, the result is more than positive and can be an outlet for a healthier life.
In this special, instructor Alexandre Lunardelli explains the importance of Mindfulness and how it is possible to insert it into our daily lives. And you will also get to know the story of two women who today consider themselves much happier since they started practicing it in their lives.
What makes Mindfulness different from other types of meditation?
Mindfulness meditation is different, as it is not tied to any spiritual path. Practices are simpler, we do not use mantras, we use the body and breathing as supports for the development of mindfulness.
You define Mindfulness as cultivation and harvest. Do traditional meditations also work with this philosophy?
Yes, in the various paths there is this notion of cultivation and harvesting, but the practices and the objective vary widely. In general terms, we can say that meditation is the development of the habit of concentration with infinite patience.
Can anyone do this type of meditation? Does the technique also extend to babies?
Mindfulness has been used a lot with children from 5 years old (sometimes even before) with very positive results in the development of concentration and development of social and emotional skills, including a reduction in bullying.
The best time of day to exercise
The most common time is early in the morning after personal hygiene and before breakfast, but you can also practice before lunch, late afternoon, and in the evening.
Can I exercise the technique on the go?
We can say that there are formal practices (when we stop to practice) and informal ones (during all day-to-day activities). Among the formal practices, we can do sitting, lying, walking, and moving (Yoga, Kum Nye, Tai Chi Chuan, and many others).
Who else is looking for Mindfulness meditation?
The groups are very diverse with people of all ages and professions. We live in a reality with many demands, information, distractions, and in which we are always connected. This environment has caused the loss of concentration, stress, anxiety, and exhaustion ( burnout * ). People look for tools to deal with this environment, gaining more focus, calm, and clarity (more quality of life and productivity at the same time).
How do we use the Mindfulness technique without meditation?
In all our activities! We can develop attention and presence while eating, walking, and talking. We bring awareness to our relationship with cell phones, emails, and agenda. We emphasize in our courses several strategies for the day today.
When did you start using the technique and for what reason?
I started meditating in 2005 when I left a complicated surgery that made me stay in the hospital for 30 days. After I consolidated my practice, I decided to take the benefits to others.
Can you recommend a simple technique for the readers of the portal?
- Sitting or standing, with your eyes half-closed or closed, take about 2 or 3 long, gentle and deep breaths, paying attention to inhalation, exhalation, and the interval between them;
- Now let the breath find its natural rhythm and stay with it, resting your attention on the breath;
- Then bring your attention to your body, starting at the feet to the top of the head, staying for a while in each part, noticing the existence or not of sensations;
- Finally, keep your body breathing and you pay attention to it;
- This exercise can be done several times a day and can last from 1 to several minutes, whenever you feel the need to regain calm and clarity.