MINDFULNESS is very important to mental health in today’s time. Because a mental health is as important as or physical health. So to manage our mental health there is most ancient and major approach or technique is “MINDFULNESS”.
Mindfulness History
“Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and non judgmentally to the unfolding of experiences moment to moment (Kabar-Zinn 2003)”.
Mindfulness is self is a program of awareness & regulation ti attention so that it is maintained our immediate experiences, thereby allowing for increases recognition of mental health events in the present moment and adopting a particular orientation towards one’s experience that is characterized by present experience and acceptance. On a regular basis human being are lived in automatic pilot mode they unaware of their moment to moment experiences.
Regular mindful practice decrease the risk of developing distress that leads a person to taking responsibility of his health and he begins to have a yearning to lead a healthy lifestyle and increases the chances of survival and it also helps in maintaining relationships and understand each other’s deeply with non judgmental attitude and maintain mental peace in lives.
There are some mindfulness technique which were listed below were very helpful in enhance quality of life during this pandemic and it can be practiced by both mentally healthy and mentally ill persons too.
Mindfulness Techniques
1. Deep breathing
Deep breathing is the most easiest and important technique in mindfulness. It helps to make more accurate perception of one’s own mental responses to external and internal stimuli is achieved enhance effective action in the world, and lead to a greater sense of control. To practice this technique is most important to manage our mental health during pandemic.
At the present time, we do a lot of emotional experiences like sadness, happiness, anxiety, bordem etc. So this technique is very effective to regulate these emotions effectively. This technique hardly takes few minutes, you can do it by sitting on the chair or lying on the bed, take a long breath hold it and then releases it repeat this process for few minutes(at least 15 minutes)and if In the meantime, if a thought comes, let it come, do not stop it, and if you do not concentrate on it, it will let go.
You can use this deep breathing in your home to reduce stress of your life. .
For start your deep breath choose first sound free area it is a very easy way to learn about deep breathing stress free exercise.
“Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. To increase focus and quiet the mind you breathe in and “out” for when you breathe out.” Focus on breath & you can add count Breath in One & breath out Two. Minimum for 10 to 15 minutes for a day.
2. Doing mode to being mode
Shift yourself from doing mode to being mode.
Rather than just doing work it is important to being in that work. If you were being in that moment it will enhance awareness of that particular moment and also increase the quality and productivity of the work and this will give satisfaction and increase the mental peach of an individual.
3. Sitting Meditation
Sitting meditation is called the heart of the formal meditation practice. Sitting meditation is done either on a chair or on the floor. In this technique, participant are instructed to sit in a relaxed, upright posture and to direct their full attention to the sensations of breathing.
This allow both positive and negative thoughts and emotions to pass quickly and can cultivate a greater awareness of the ways in thoughts, feelings and behavior that affect emotional, mental and physical health. This may also help in reducing distraction or ruminating thoughts during mental health or illness etc.
“Sit in a comfortable chair, on a park bench, or out on your deck or porch. You are alive! So breathe the air, see your surroundings, listen to the sounds, and feel bodily sensations such as your physical connection to your seat, the air temperature, the breeze, etc. You have no place to be but here. Keep it simple”
Mindful Hatha Yoga :-
The difference between Mindful Yoga and the wide variety of yoga practices out there is that with Mindful Yoga, the main focus is on mind-body awareness to reduce the stress and anxiety by aware of present movement.
Hatha Yoga Benefits :-
Stress and anxiety
lose weight
Deep Sleep
Better heart health and blood circulation
Chronic pain and stiffness reduction
Less stress and anxiety
This is a one of the best stress management training program, in which person will know about the movement to movement or doing mode by help of breath exercise & eating exercise also. It is a very use full technique for psychotherapy & various types of counseling such as family counseling, one counseling & stress management counseling etc.