Quiet the Mind

Over an extended period of time, I have learned through experience that there is a need for all of us to learn how to 'quiet out minds in order for our souls to speak to us.' This is part of a quote from Ma Jaya Sati Bhagarvati. In the big picture, this is part of being mindful, at least in my book it is.

On my Facebook account, I shared a video from the BBC Family and Education group that showed 6 and 7 year olds expressing what mindfulness means to them and how it helps them. It was eye-opening to hear young children verbalize what it means to calm down and relax. They spoke of how it helps them get their minds back on being able to learn. One little girl explained that it has taught her how to breathe out all of her worries. Yes, young children have worries and need a way to help them deal with them.

There are adults who truly do not believe in this mindful state. I know this for a fact, because they look at me as if I stepped on to Earth from another planet when I talk of it. Never would I push my beliefs on anyone else, so there is a time that I just know to stop talking about it. There is no judgment here. What works for me will not work for others if they are not a believer. Two young children explained that circle time, when they can share how they feel by using colors, weather or just plain old feelings is their favorite time. Such a great way to introduce empathy to young ones. Most seem to have this emotion naturally. These exercises just help them become more aware of themselves and others.

By using our senses and working together, it helps to improve everyone's mental well-being. Another child explained that he can go into his bubble and breathe in and out just for calmness and to think his own thoughts. Mindfulness is a form of meditation. It works in a group setting, as well as for an individual. This is how I begin each day. These young children have given me a few new visuals that will improve my mindful state even more. I love thinking of me inside of a bubble thinking my own thoughts. Maybe I feel like the sunshine, or a rainbow, or a thunderstorm, or blue? Just nice to acknowledge that this is how I am feeling. "Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor," according to Thich Nhat Hanh. This allows me to have a moment to think about how I am feeling and then breathe to let it go. If I can't change it, then why am I wasting time worrying about it.  

For me, I need to invest in myself and reap the benefits by following the mindfulness way of life. The benefits include a better attitude, relieves stress from my body, improves my sleeping and helps me enjoy and think more about the here and now! It is paying attention to the way that I feel in the present moment and moving on through breathing out what I have no control over. To give you an example: I can start out feeling like a thunderstorm, then move on to a partly sunny day and hopefully, through getting inside my bubble and thinking through my thoughts, end up feeling like a rainbow that popped up in the sky, and just 'BE.'

To end with Eckhart Tolle's quote, "In today's rush we all think too much  -  seek too much  -  want too much  -  and forget about the joy of just being!"