I began learning about mindfulness many years ago under incredibly tumultuous circumstances well before it became the catch phrase of the decade.  It’s been tossed around by everyone it seems but the people I trust most to toss it around are Louise Hay , Jon Kabat-Zinn and the staff at Green Mountain at Fox Run.

My definition, the one I’ve been honing for several decades, is “stay in today”.  I know it’s pretty broad and I’ve narrowed it down quite a bit myself but in essence if you stay in today so much angst can be alleviated.  You know how big a fan I am of angst, distant cousin to drama and worry.

I started with affirmations and learning the power of the mind body connection.  I suffered terribly from anxiety, and hopelessness, and bad luck and on and on.  My turning point was a gift from my best friend as I was lamenting the guardian angel energy that kept himself out of trouble she suggested it might not be guardian angel energy it might be my energy…   What? I had energy?  Turns out I have extraordinary energy.

I’ve been working diligently on and with mindfulness for the last decade.  My health has improved, my life has improved, so many good things come my way that continue to surprise me and I live in gratitude.

Enter a wonderful weekend in Vermont to validate the things I’m doing right and hand me on a silver platter more ways to improve my life.  Ways to banish the cortisol!!!! Evil hormone that it is, maker of belly fat and thief of sleep, can be counteracted with mindfulness. Of course there’s more to it but if you start with mindfulness, if you stay in today, in the moment, and look up from the damn phone..l mean engage with your life, you will be amazed at what happens and what you’ll see.

One of the biggest ah ha’s was mindfulness eating.  How the hell does a foodie not live in that space all the time?  When I’m eating something fabulous I’m definitely mindful but my problem has always been not being mindful to my hunger cues and getting to the sugar drop stage of no good can come from even opening the refrigerator.  I know you’ve seen it, you keep reminding me…

For the last month I’ve been practicing listening and following the cues and hopefully you can attest that there has been an improvement.  No bail money has been required, not once. What a relief, to us all.

I began meditating in earnest many weeks ago and continued the practice while in Vermont.  It’s one of the methods they endorse for most everything.  There was a fabulous chair at the end of our hallway that called me each day.  Finally I listened and though it was on the way to one of the outside entrances, no one bothered me, it was sunny and warm and light and quiet.  If I had my way I would have hauled that chair home with me.  Just sayin.

Mindfulness walks have always been my thing.  I don’t take my phone, I don’t listen to anything but the world around me.  I love hearing the birds each morning, I love the sounds and smells coming from open windows and I never want to miss someone calling my name to say hello.  The only time I’m not fully engaged is when I have my camera, then I’m focused on the world around me in a different way.  Its old school, you have to look through the lens and your vision is narrowed to within the frame.  I’ve been known to wander through fairs and markets and gardens and crowds with my camera and I am so grateful for what seems to download.  I see things through a completely different filter and it continues to surprise me.

Rooting yourself to the earth is yet another way to practice mindfulness.  I’m sure I have an unfair advantage being a gardener.  I love the smell of the earth after the rain, I love the digging, the planting, the weeding, hell I even love hauling the damn boulders out of the back shade garden.  I know…

Being mindful allows for a different perspective, it’s non-judgmental, you can imagine the pain others have that make them act the way they do.  It  doesn’t condone bad behavior but it creates a better understanding at times.  It’s a weight lifted, not everything is yours, you don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to and you can begin to be kind to yourself.  You can learn how fabulous you really are and you can begin to weed out those who don’t believe in you and your new way of thinking.

I believe that mindfulness comes best to those who serve.  Themselves first, then serving others brings a continuance of good coming to them that you won’t want to give up.  I’m pretty sure the only thing that you’ll be giving up is the cortisol contamination, the excess worry about things that mostly never happen and the abuse you give yourself for what you believe you caused or created when really you simply weren’t paying attention…Now you are and you will begin to see the power that is you.  I remain ever grateful for the ability to stay in today.