Mindfulness & Meditation:

What is Mindfulness?

“The awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment. Non-judgmentally.” ~ Jon Kabat Zinn

Mindfulness is the act of paying attention to your present moment experience with an attitude of compassion, non-judgment, and curiosity. Rather than worrying about the future or rehashing the past, you hold your attention on the moment at hand. The ability to be mindful is a capacity that is naturally present in all of us, though most of us haven't spent much time developing it.

Mindfulness helps you develop the internal conditions that lead to enduring happiness so that you are not as affected by the constantly changing external conditions of your life experience. Thus, it offers you the opportunity to maintain your peace of mind even on your busiest days. Mindfulness practices can help you be fully engaged with your life as it unfolds.

You can build your “mindfulness muscle” much like we build our physical muscles. We start with a "lighter weight", a few minutes of mindful meditation practice in a quiet environment. We progressively build our mindfulness muscle over time until we are able to stay focused and calm, not only during our practice, but also in our daily lives, even during hectic and intense moments.

Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation:

• Decrease stress and increase happiness

• Cultivate more compassion and a sense of satisfaction in your life

• Focus more on the positive

• Become more resilient

• Respond instead of react in stressful and frustrating situations

• Build more acceptance (acceptance doesn’t mean liking, agreeing, or passive resignation; it's an antidote to grasping at something you want, it's about bringing your awareness back into the moment; acceptance decreases suffering and opens you to new insights and opportunities)

• Ability to be more judicial about your judgments

• Better control of your emotions

• Improved relationships

 

April includes mindfulness concepts and practices in her workshops and teaches basic mindfulness and meditation courses upon request. Contact April for more information on mindfulness meditation classes or to schedule a class or workshop for your group.