Mindfulness a way of maintaining a happy life within a busy, often stressful life.

And, like its friend, exercise, you have to remember to practice it! Mindfulness is the new ‘multivitamin’ and you can’t have too much of it!

In the medical profession, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is recognised as an effective public health intervention. Though originally designed for stress management, it is being used for treating a variety of illnesses such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, skin and immune disorders.

The art of regular mindfulness practice is something that is widely discussed and researched now, and that research field is growing by the day. However, in this blog I’m going to focus on my own person experiences of mindfulness. I’ll also refer to some books that have had an impact on my own philosophy as a private GP. I always try to have a holistic attitude to prevention and recovery in the treatment of my patients and mindfulness can be an important part of that.

As a young women I had never heard of meditation nor meet anyone who meditated. It was in 2002, at the age of 25, that I had my first experience of yogic meditation at the end of a practice in Byron Bay, Australia. I was amazed at how relaxed I felt and yet how slightly awkward it was to close my eyes and do nothing! I fidgeted and wondered was I doing it right.

In a world where being ‘busy’ is the norm and often a good thing to tell your friends and colleagues, particularly if you own a business, we forget that our life hinges on our health and wellbeing, and that applies to each one of us.

As society speeds up, our genetic make-up is still pulling the cart and requires time to recharge from the daily bumps in the road. But, we are slowly coming full circle back towards a simpler way of living. After all, when we take our intrusive thoughts and expectations away or make them small we see that life is simpler. Mindfulness is available to us in every moment, whether through meditations and body scans, or mindful moment practices like taking time to pause and breathe when the phone rings instead of rushing to answer it.

So, mindfulness is being aware of the challenges, the rush and chaos. Acknowledging it, then respecting ourselves for how we may react and finally accepting our reactions to our daily interactions. Complicated I hear you say! Interestingly, it becomes easier with each meditation, and as we soften to this idea of acceptance, real change is possible.

And where there’s change there are smiles and the ultimate happiness that we all desire.

So don’t be afraid. What’s the worst that could happen? You could discover what really irritates you and then understand your reactions and lingering emotions and maybe the next time you might even have a laugh at yourself and smile!

All this aside, it’s not just about self-acceptance. It’s about community and maintaining healthy relationships. It’s about keeping this fast paced world on the outside. It’s about peace and connectivity. And it’s about taking time for yourself in the loving and gentle manner you deserve.

Over the last 20 years I have met many people across the world who practice meditation or mindfulness. Each person has taught me something on my mindful journey. A lot of this has been texts they have recommended, so I include those books I have found particularly interesting and powerful.

Mindfulness Reading list

The miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
Diamond Mind by Rob Nairn
Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse ( included as text to tell the story of the game of life that we don’t have to play!)
Siddartha by Herman Hesse
Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Waldon by Henry David Thoreau

Tips on Becoming More Mindful

Being present in the moment, taking notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you are the first steps to mindfulness.

Notice the everyday

Professor Mark Williams, former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre says "Even as we go about our daily lives, we can notice the sensations of things, the food we eat, the air moving past the body as we walk. All this may sound very small, but it has huge power to interrupt the 'autopilot' mode we often engage day to day, and to give us new perspectives on life."

Keep it regular

As with anything, mindfulness improves with practice. It is really helpful to pick a regular time to build mindfulness into your daily or weekly routine. Choose a time, maybe during your morning journey to work or a walk at lunchtime, during which you decide to be aware of the sensations created by the world around you.

Try something new

Trying new things in a simple way to quietly disrupt the status quo such as sitting in a different seat in the morning going somewhere new for a walk, can also help you notice the world in a new way.

Watch your thoughts

Often your busy thoughts will crowd in when you are trying to empty everything from your head. Professor Mark Williams says: "It might be useful to remember that mindfulness isn't about making these thoughts go away, but rather about seeing them as mental events.”

Many people find it easier to relax into mindfulness while doing gentle yoga or walking.

Name thoughts and feelings

To develop an awareness of thoughts and feelings, some people find it helpful to quietly put a name on them for example: “Here's the thought that I might disappoint that person". Or, "This is anxiety".

Free yourself from the past and future

You can practise mindfulness anywhere, but it can be especially helpful to take a mindful approach if you realise that, for several minutes, you have located your thoughts in reliving past problems or anticipating future worries. Each time you become aware of that you can remind yourself to re-locate back to the present.