Mindfulness – we all seem to be talking about it but practicing it becomes a different type of ordeal. So, what is mindfulness and how can I engage in it?

The purpose of this article is to give an introduction to mindfulness, its impacts on mental health and provide a brief mindful exercise called “Leaves on a Stream” which can be tried as you read through it.

Developing mindfulness is part of th

 

e practice of meditation. Jon Kabat-Zinn, an American professor in Massachusetts came in contact with Buddhism during his travels to the Eastern part of the world. He later developed a stress reduction clinic where people with cancer, amongst other conditions, came to the clinic to be treated. He taught these patients the practice of mindfulness meditation and found many improvements in their emotional and physical health.

Mindfulness has been found to have long-term positive effects for persons who suffer from anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and skin conditions such as psoriasis, depression and cancer. It is correlated with faster recovery, lower stress levels and fewer disturbances in mood.

One of the most beneficial properties of mindfulness practice is its portability. All you need is a comfortable space to be in, time set aside to focus and a vivid visual imagination!

Leaves on a Stream, developed by Harris in 2009, is an excellent and portable mindful exercise to help you become introduced to the practice of mindfulness. Let’s begin and keep in mind, to pause for a few seconds after each step:

  1. Sit comfortably and rest your eyes.
  2. Visualize sitting beside a stream of water with leaves floating along the surface of the water.
  3. Take each thought that enters your mind and place it on a separate leaf. Watch the leaf float by with the thought sitting on top of it.
  4. Don’t try to rush or slow down the stream. Let.it.be.
  5. If your mind starts to want to distract you by saying: “This is dumb”, “You have things to do”, “I’m not doing this right”, “This is so uncomfortable”, place these thoughts on the leaves.
  6. If leaves get stuck in the stream, let them untangle themselves by the stream current.
  7. Watch the leaves float with your thoughts.
  8. Your mind will try to ‘hook’ you and distract you from watching the stream. This is normal. If you find yourself getting side tracked, acknowledge the thought and place it on the leaf.

Written By: Agustina Jorquera

So much talk about mindfulness, but how do I do it?