Mindfulness is the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. It is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
Mindfulness is at the core of Vibrant Lives’ philosophy. It is integrated into every service and is taught to all, directly and indirectly. For example, as one practices yoga, one learns how to concentrate and focus awareness on the breath and on the body; one becomes capable of stepping away, physically and mentally, from everything else going on in life. One learns to observe bodily sensations and to notice the movement of the mind (thoughts and feelings) with equanimity or non-judgement. Through this practice of mindfulness, compassion for one’s self is born. Patience and humor evolve. Eventually mindfulness extends from the yoga mat to every day life and becomes one’s way of being in this world.
Yoga is just one avenue of learning mindfulness. The ways in which mindfulness may be cultivated in your life are numerous: physical activity, movement, art and music, meditation, writing, crafts... To begin a personal practice, check out the opportunities (drop in yoga and meditation, workshops and events, and counseling) available on Vibrant Lives’ website.
Vibrant Lives is also available to teach mindfulness skills (whether through the practice of yoga, meditation, or expressive arts) to groups, professional and/or personal. If you are looking for something that addresses stress reduction, optimal health, or self-care, mindfulness is the key. In fact, mindfulness has been scientifically proven to result in:
reduced rumination reduction in stress
enhanced working memory focus
less emotional reactivity
more cognitive flexibility
relationship satisfaction
For more information regarding informal and formal mindfulness practices, please contact us!
