Daily Meditation: Mindful Awareness

What is mindful awareness? It is a calm state of consciousness - where the mind, body and emotions are being actively observed. Both scientific and spiritual traditions say that bringing mindful awareness into your daily can help lower stress - which has many benefits on all levels.

Simple ways to include mindful awareness in your life is through regular meditation and yogapractice. Other techniques to bring mindfulness into your daily life, include:

• Being mindful of your breathing - taking in deep and comfortable breathes from the abdomen.
• Before eating take some time to focus on how your body feels - are you anxious, excited, calm? If you are anxious or excited, take a few deep breathes to calm your body and mind. Try to pay attention to the smell, flavor and texture of each bite and chewing food slowly to help digestion.
• Practice listing to others - listen to what they are really saying. Fully listen to what they say before trying to think of your response - this helps to develop empathy, good communication and a better understanding of each person.
• Good posture is key - stand tall, plant your feet firmly on the earth to fully connect with the earths energy and ground yourself. Allow your head to feel light on your shoulders and extend your heart center outwards to open your lungs to receive more oxygen - fill your body with prana!
• Practice mindful awareness in everything you do - whether washing the dishes, brushing your teeth. Be aware of your body, your energy as you go through your daily life.

"As we encounter new experiences with a mindful and wise attention, we discover that one of three things will happen to our new experience: it will go away, it will stay the same, or it will get more intense. whever happens does not really matter."
— Jack Kornfield