Mind full or Mindful?

I have been practicing meditation for about 2 years and realised it is not working the way meditation should work. I was struggling to focus for longer than a couple of minutes and I realised I cannot achieve what I want to in a 10-15 minute meditation practice. It needed to be embedded in my lifestyle and so I started reading and exploring.

In our day to day life, we all struggle to focus. Our mind wanders whilst amalgamating the past, present and future. Our thoughts are trying to resolve all worldly problems simultaneously but struggling to resolve the one in hand, not only impacting decision making but also our reaction to different situations. To address this problem what we need to do is focus on every little aspect of every little moment. How can we incorporate that focus into our everyday life? What is the simplest and easiest way to follow this in everyday life? How can we master the art of performing each and every task with love, passion and poise? In one single term, this can be defined as ‘mindfulness’. Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us I was very fascinated with the concept of mindfulness and therefore started reading articles, books and watching motivational videos. I also found the Bhagavad Gita as a wonderful guide for mindfulness. I came across the article, “Bhagavad Gita’s Guide to Mindfulness” by Dr. Panchajanya Paul, MD. I found it extremely interesting and thought-provoking. I would like to share some of the key points in this article.

Research has shown a wealth of physical and psychological benefits of mindfulness for the mind, brain, and body. Physical benefits include regulation of blood pressure, relief of pain and acid reflux and improved digestion. Psychological benefits include improved sleep, trauma-recovery, reduced stress and anxiety and multiple other mental issues you may be struggling with. Mindfulness also has the ability to increase empathy and understanding of the self and surroundings. It helps us feel more satisfied and happy with ourselves and our surroundings. When we feel more content, we tend to be better spouses, parents, colleagues and friends – we become better individuals.

Bandhur ātmātmanas tasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ
anātmanas tu śhatrutve
vartetātmaiva śhatru-vat
Bhagvad Gita 6:6
For those who have conquered the mind, it is their friend. For those who have failed to do so, the mind works like an enemy.

Mindfulness can be achieved through formal guided practices like meditation or informally by following its principles. The Bhagavad Gita provides both the principle and practice of mindfulness. The Bhagavad Gita has many passages relevant to mindfulness and has the ability to enlighten those seeking a higher level of consciousness. One need not be religious or spiritual to gain the benefits as the central principle of mindfulness is ‘control of the mind’. Chapter 6 of the Gita, ‘Dhyana Yoga’ or the ‘Yoga of Meditation’ explains the philosophy and practice of meditation. This is a good place to start.

I applied mindfulness in my everyday life:

• By being more mindful during every course of my routine whether it is cooking, eating, exercising, music or just relaxing.
• I started taking a pause every now and then just to reflect on the day By trying to listen to what the other person is saying during any conversation instead of rushing to put my own thoughts forward.
• By slowing down and focusing on each task individually
• I started seeking closeness to nature, spending more time with plants, listening to birds chirping, spending time looking at sky, stars and moon whenever possible.
• Thinking about others’ situations in a more positive way or developing empathy, love and compassion towards people around me.
• I started to detach myself when I found myself in any adverse situation and tried to not react badly.
• I started repeating affirmations and gratitude every night before bed and every morning.
• Doing neuroplasticity exercises at least once or twice a week by breaking a routine or including something different in my day.

I can feel the difference in myself when I perform tasks as I feel much more confident doing them. I am calm and my reactions are controlled. I am able to prioritise my task and decide what to include and where to stop taking more responsibilities. I now practise mindfulness on a daily basis. It is my belief that we all can benefit from mindfulness and get inner calmness from the practice.