What is Mindfulness?
There are many websites that go into the formal definitions of Mindfulness. Following is my philosophy around what I teach.
For me, Mindfulness is a practice that teaches us how to be openly and honestly aware of each moment in which we live. We practice awareness of breath, body, emotions, thoughts, and senses.
By looking at these areas with curiosity and kindness, I begin to notice when I’m thinking thoughts that aren’t useful or acting in ways I’d rather not; this awareness gives me a brief space in which I can choose to do something in a different way. It opens up a space of possibility around how I act, speak, and think.
Here, you can see a visual I created of how my mind thinks about each present moment when I’m sitting in mindful awareness
Very Brief History
Mindfulness is rooted in Buddhist tradition dating back more than 2,500 years. That said, Mindful Awareness Practices and contemplative practices have always existed in other traditions such as the ancient Greeks, Native Americans, and within Christian religious traditions.
A secular version of Mindfulness, which is the focus I use for training within organizations, has been used in the United States for over 30 years and began in about 1979, when Jon Kabat-Zinn began offering Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, courses for patients at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He believed that Mindfulness could support patients in the areas of chronic pain and depression and research has shown this to be true.
Since that early beginning in healthcare, Mindfulness expanded in the United States to include Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) developed in the 90’s for mental healthcare and in the past decade it has been expanding within education to support the learning ability of our students.
Today, Mindfulness is being used to support workers not only within healthcare and education, but also within corporations and politics. It’s used in many Silicon Valley businesses and there are even Mindfulness studies being completed within the US Military.
Why Mindfulness in Nature?
I love leading everything from staff retreats to silent meditation retreats outside in nature. I love gathering people at the labyrinth on my land, but there are lots of other options in the Missoula area. You can watch for scheduled retreats or reach out to schedule staff retreats or retreats with a group of friends!
Nature teaches me about equanimity and connection. I know that a day spent outside whether skiing in winter, or gardening or hiking any other season, is a day well spent. The fresh air and calm from that time will support me in being focused and calm in the following days at my desk. Mindfulness in nature helps us renew our connection with our self, while strengthening our interconnection with nature and each other.
Awake In The Wild Nature Retreat | photo by: Kim Nellans
Mark Coleman developed the Awake in the Wild program. This program supports people as they apply Mindfulness concepts within the beauty of nature. I am proud to have participated in the first Awake in the Wild teacher training, completing that training September 2017. My teaching is inspired by this Awake in the Wild: Meditation in Nature practice.
Books That Help Us Connect To Nature
Coleman, Mark. (2006) Awake In The Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery
Mann, Heather Lyn (2016) Ocean of Insight: A Sailor's Voyage from Despair to Hope
Swanson, John L. (2001) Communing with Nature: A guidebook for enhancing your relationship with the earth.
Williams, Florence (2017) The Nature Fix: Why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative.
Wohlleben, P. (2015) The Hidden Life of Trees. What they feel, How they communicate.
Guided Mindfulness Practices
Below you can find some basic Meditation guidelines and a few guided meditations that you can listen to and download as you find useful. I hope you enjoy them! You can also find guided meditations by me on the Insight Timer app.
Meditation Posture Guidelines:
Introduction to Mindfulness Video - You can find an Introduction to Mindfulness meditation video on my Facebook page here.
Tips for Starting a Practice:
Pick a time that works for you. Morning, lunchtime, evening, it doesn't matter, but pick a time when you can start with 10 minutes every day. Habit tip! Tie it to another habit, such as right after you brush your teeth!
Choose and use a resource that works for you.
Download some of the guided meditations below and start using.
Check out the Videos link on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mindfulnessinorganizations/ and use the Beginners playlist of guided video meditations I've put together for you.
Download an app. I like Insight Timer. It’s free and you can find me as a teacher on Insight Timer here. That said there are lots of meditation apps, use the one that works for you or find another teacher that works for you!
Contact me if you have questions!