July Daily Vibes | Mindfulness Day 7

Day 7 Law of Attraction Centering Thought

I put my attention on who I really am.

You cannot look at that which you do not want and not join and perpetuate that vibration. Take your attention from that which is not in harmony with who you are, and in taking your attention from it, your “now vibration” will adjust to who you really are, and then you can uplift others.  ~  Abraham

If my attention is fully focused on the morning rituals – getting dressed, having breakfast – that grounds me and recharges me.  ~  Arturo Bejar, director of engineering at Facebook


Meditation Perks

If you have an interest in boosting concentration, easing stress, building your immune system, and being more joyful, not to mention, living an awakened, spiritually fulfilled life while creating all you desire, then mindfulness is the skill for you.

Mindfulness is not a special state you achieve through a trick or a technique, it is a way of being. Yes, meditation is key to mindful-living, but so is your focus moment-to-moment.

Mindfulness techniques, particularly meditation, initiate the experience of the fullness of who you are, the consciousness that is you. Abraham teaches that when you quiet your mind you become the higher vibration of your Source Energy. You are aligned with your power. Many different research studies validate the varied benefits of mindful-living. We sight a few studies reported in the October 2017 Mindful magazine.

Tough Time Buffer

To find out whether mindfulness training could buffer some of the effects of stressful conditions the University of Miami researchers worked with one hundred college football players during four weeks of intense pre-season training – a time when emotional well-being and ability to concentrate typically decline. Half of the players took part in mindfulness training, while the other half did relaxation training. The players who were more engaged in the mindfulness practice showed less of a decline in their ability to concentrate, compared both with the relaxation group and with players less engaged with mindfulness.

Easier Reading

People with dyslexia, as well as those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, often struggle with the written word. Tel Aviv University researchers found that mindfulness training can reduce reading errors, probably by improving the ability to sustain attention.

Healing Boost

Taking part in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction class can promote well-being. A Swedish study of 166 woman recently treated for breast cancer found that those who took part in an eight-week MBSR class were less depressed, coped better, and had better bloodstream immune markers than two comparison groups, one given MBSR resources for practicing at home, the other receiving no therapy. The women in the MBSR class also experienced fewer symptoms. The study will continue for four more years.

Mindfulness Center at the Workplace

Aetna, the American-managed health-care company ran a mind-body stress-reduction pilot program in 2011 which led to a 35% reduction in workers’ perceived stress. Now the company is committed to opening a mindfulness center at Aetna headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut. There, employees can learn mindfulness techniques and how to incorporate exercises into their everyday life. Aetna employees working in other offices can access the classes virtually.

“We’re going to be offering programs and trying to gradually change the workplace culture,” Andy Lee, the chief mindfulness officer at Aetna, said in a press release. “Stress affects all companies. Mindfulness is an effective way to provide people with the tools to help manage their stress.”

“It’s a part of the company’s broader strategy,” said Cheryl Jones, the director of mindfulness at Aetna. “We’re evolving beyond the mindfulness-based well-ness programs and aiming to create a workplace culture of well-being.”

Mindfulness App

Researchers at the University of Southern Denmark randomly assigned about half of a group of 95 people (average age early 40s) to a month of mindfulness training using the Headspace app. (headspace.com) The other half did Lumosity brain training. Before-and-after measures of performance on a task requiring sustained attention showed that the mindfulness training significantly reduced mind-wandering, while the brain training did not. Also, meditating with Headspace for three weeks may enhance compassionate behavior toward others.

Process

Because meditation builds the foundation for Mindful Living, this month we’ll give meditation hints each week.

Body Awareness Meditation

10 – 20 minutes

Take a few minutes each day noticing your physicality. Not to judge your body or worry about it or push it harder at a workout, but to be in it. This practice can tune you into your body bringing awareness to where you are right now. It will heighten your senses and help you to relax more deeply.

  • Sit in a chair or on the floor, lie on the floor or stand. The main thing is to be comfortable, so you feel supported and relaxed.
  • Close your eyes or leave them open in a soft gaze, not focusing on anything in particular.
  • Rest for a few moments, paying attention to the natural rhythm of your breathing.
  • Once your body and mind are settled, bring awareness to your body as a whole. Be aware of your body resting and being supported by the chair, mattress, or floor.
  • Begin to focus your attention on different parts of your body. You can focus on one particular area or go through a sequence: toes, feet, (sole, heel, top of foot), through the legs, pelvis, abdomen, lower back, upper back, chest shoulders, arms down to the fingers, shoulders, neck, different parts of the face and head.
  • For each part of the body, linger for a few moments and notice the different sensations as you focus.
  • The moment you notice that your mind has wandered, return your attention to the part of the body you last remember.
  • If you fall asleep during the body scan practice, that’s okay. When you realize you’ve been nodding off, take a deep breath to help you reawaken and perhaps reposition your body. When you’re ready return your attention to the part of the body you last remember focusing on.

From Susan Bauer-Wu PhD, director of the Compassionate Care Initiative of the University of Virginia School of Nursing