What Mindfulness Means to Me
“No Matter how hard the past, you can always begin again”
– Jack Kornfield
I was recently asked to explain what mindfulness is for me. Since the use of the word has become more widespread, many feel that it has perhaps ‘lost its soul’. And so, following the past year’s events, challenges and realisations, I wanted to share my story on how I found mindfulness, and what it means to me.
I was prompted to try mindfulness after a series of mental health challenges, first, burnout, then depression, following depression anxiety and panic attacks. I had therapy and physical exercise sorted, but something was missing… and not allowing me to fully address my unsettled mind.
When I started practising mindfulness I used an app called ‘Headspace’. The exercises on the app involved practising mindfulness for just 10 minutes a day. Within 3–4 months, I found I was able to see the nature and structure of my mind much more clearly. I saw how unnecessarily busy my mind was and how many judgements and thoughts were not helping my existence. I saw my reactivity, my unhappiness, and my attachments. I found that having this awareness allowed me to make healthier choices and made me less emotionally reactive.
Having seen the benefits that mindfulness could have, I decided to go deeper into the Mindfulness practice and enrolled into an intensive 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction course, which required over 50 minutes of practice a day as well as a number of exercises to implement Mindfulness into our daily lives. This intense course uncovered the structure of my personality, I saw clearly who I was, how I was, and what ‘Dilya’ was made of.
The detachment from my created personality allowed me to see myself from different angles and clearly see my role in the ecosystem of my life. This new level of seeing has allowed me to release emotions, pain, suffering, and fueled me with the fresh energy of creation, motivation, and inspiration.
I found other ways to integrate mindfulness into my life, attending a number of silent and reflective retreats, integrating mindfulness through journaling, movement (yoga, tai chi, dance), walks in nature, holistic practices, and art.
Over time, I realised that mindfulness is not just a tool or just a meditation; it is non-judgmental awareness in the moment that enables you to go through the day with peace, calm and composure. This insight prompted me to start sharing the tools of mindfulness. And so, here is how I see mindfulness in brief.
For me, the practice of mindfulness is the conscious action of uncovering the layers that block our perception and our vision of seeing things as they are (CLEANSING), realising the truths of our own being (SEEING), and finding the ability to exercise our truest desires (FLOWING).
“Only when you clean your windscreen you can see the road;
Only when you see the road you can understand whether it is your road;
Only by understanding where you are you can pursue your journey.”
– Dilya M-A
We have faced many challenges over the last 12 months, but each one of us saw it as an opportunity to open up to our inner strength and resilience; finding collective strength in our community and looking for ways to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances and government guidance. All of the uncertainty that we have faced — and continue to face — invites us to truly embrace some of the key principles of mindfulness; like trust, acceptance and letting go.
We can trust ourselves to do the right thing, and trust the rest to evolve as it has to. We can accept the way things are and find sustainable, and healthy solutions to the challenges that this year has been presenting us. We must let go of the past way of living, and be open to the new, as the old ways are probably gone for good.
Once we wake up to the moment and to the life in the here and now, we can clearly see our purpose and our path. We can exercise our truest will and face Life with the presence of mind and a big smile, despite whatever difficulties we may face.
