Guest Blog: What is Mindfulness
Karen Vielle is a yoga teacher, mindfulness coach, author, and owner of KVL Mindful Living Solutions. Find more about her and her offerings at kvlmindfullivingsolutions.com.
If you’ve attended any of my yoga classes, you’ve noticed that I incorporate mindfulness practices into every class, whether it’s restorative, yin, or flow. I often say one of the best reasons to practice yoga is to learn to listen to your body. Notice how you feel in a pose in addition to noticing what you feel. Notice where you feel the movement of the breath in a pose. Notice the thoughts and self-talk going on in your head while practicing. Yoga is more about drawing your awareness inward to your ever changing, moment-to-moment sensations and experiences, rather than how well you are mimicking what the teacher is doing or saying.
What you might not know is that when I’m not teaching yoga, I am also currently working as a Mindfulness Coach. Mindfulness simply means to be aware. This is different from the type of awareness we experience in this world of instant communication and 24-hour news cycles. You may get overwhelmed by your awareness of all the troubles and problems in the world that you can’t do anything about. Mindful awareness is the opposite of that. It means to be aware of yourself, your surroundings, your thoughts, and your actions, in the present moment. Practicing mindfulness serves as a respite from the bombardment of problems and worries.
Which leads us to the question: What is the difference between meditation and mindfulness? In the Buddhist and yogic traditions there are different definitions for these words. In fact, when we use the word meditation, we’re often referring to techniques that, in Sanskrit, mean concentration. I think of concentration as the practices we engage in to focus the mind, and meditation as a state of being that is achieved when the mind is quiet and focused. Mindfulness a concentration practice which focuses our attention on the present moment.
Mindfulness, or present moment awareness, really is an all-encompassing practice. Want to work on your fitness? How do you know if you’re doing the right types of exercise, eating right, or sleeping enough? You pay attention to how it makes you feel. If what it takes to lose those last five pounds makes you a miserable, sleep-deprived person who is not enjoyable to be around, then is it really making you healthier? Does what you’re doing improve your day? Does it make you a better person to be around?
I’m using health and fitness related goals as examples here, but the same goes for any area to which you want to bring more awareness. Need to find a better work/life balance? Want to cultivate joy and happiness and intentional social relationships? Want less stress during the holidays? Meaningful growth in all these areas comes down to paying attention. Is this working? What is working and what’s not working? How do I know whether it’s working? Be willing to make adjustments as you go and not dogmatically stick with one approach just because somebody else says to do it that way. That’s the essence of using mindfulness in all your daily activities.
We can think of mindfulness coaching in a similar way to any other type of lifestyle coach, like a health or wellness coach. A coach might meet with you virtually or in-person, one-on-one or in a group. Coaches provide you with tools, motivation, and accountability as you work on your personal goals. Mindfulness coaching is no different from these other styles of coaching except that any areas of your life can be positively impacted by growing your mindful awareness. At its most basic level, mindfulness coaching incorporates guided activities that reduce stress and improve focus, such as meditation and mind/body exercises. General benefits of these practices can include things like stress reduction and improved sleep and rest (those are two different things), along with all the health and mental health benefits that accompany less stress and more rest.
You can practice mindfulness during yoga classes, while out on walks, while preparing a meal, or even while washing the dishes. Notice and be present with what you’re doing while you’re doing it, with no specific expectation. Practicing mindfulness during the upcoming holidays, by pausing to notice how you feel, can help you create traditions and routines that are healthy and meaningful for you, instead of continuing old traditions out of habit even if you no longer enjoy them. As we go into this expectation-driven holiday season, intentionally create a space of peace and joy for yourself and those around you. Even small acts of noticing can have a bigger impact than you might think.
If you’re interested in learning more about mindfulness or mindfulness coaching, check out Karen’s website or contact her at karenvielle@gmail.com.