Change Your Mind and Change The World

 

A common misconception of mindfulness practice is that you are not permitted to get angry and that you allow others to treat you badly as you take the brunt of it. This notion cannot be any further from the truth. In fact, the main module of mindfulness is to be aware of your thoughts, feeling, actions and reactions and face each of them as they arise. There was a time in my life when I was so afraid of certain emotions that I completely avoided them. I believed that if I was not feeling happy or positive and showing that face to the world, then something was wrong. This idea is so foreign to me now given that the sea of human emotion is so vast and complex. So these days when I am happy, I feel happy, when I am angry I feel angry, when I am sad I feel sad. There is no point in hiding behind a false exterior because the truth lies beneath the unseen and it will eventually come out, perhaps in ways that you do not like. Being conscious of what you are feeling as it is happening is not easy. However, with practice you can start to acknowledge your very true, very real feelings and work through them in a productive manner, while experiencing deeper empathy for those around you. You will be able to rise above the cloud of denial and live your life as your true self, imperfect and beautiful.

Helpful Points:

• Accept and feel your entire range of emotions, the good, bad and ugly – pinpoint the areas in your body, pit in your stomach or a happy full chest

• The more you accept yourself, the more receptive you will be to others

• You do not have to love everyone or accept abuse from others just because you practice mindfulness – setting reasonable boundaries is encouraged

• Sometimes seeing a situation from another person’s perspective may alleviate heavy, complex emotions and simplify things

• Try to see the good in all people

• Try to sit quietly anywhere from 5-20 minutes a day and focus on breathing