mind·ful·ness
ˈmīn(d)f(ə)lnəs/
noun
1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
"their mindfulness of the wider cinematic tradition"
2. 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, used as a therapeutic technique.
While the first definition of mindfulness can be applied to #EdCampPE—(it’s always good to be aware of your surroundings when your surroundings contain active adolescents and things flying through the air at high speeds)—it is the second meaning that should be incorporated into the classroom and world as a whole. The significance between the two meanings is that one is knowledge of your surroundings and the other is knowledge of yourself.
Mindfulness is a way of life, it paves a path to self-awareness and peacefulness. It can be achieved through meditation and has many benefits. As is typical of most forms of meditation, it results in the reduction of stress and improvement of health. Keeping this in mind, it’s not surprising that mindfulness-inspire techniques are being applied to treat mental conditions such as depression and anxiety. It’s maybe a bit more surprising to learn it is also being used to treat substance abuse and addiction.
Similar to many methods of meditation, it’s best to start in a quiet area you are comfortable in. Close your eyes to shut yourself away from the outside world and simply take note of yourself—your body, your thoughts, your feelings. Take note of every breath you take, of every thought that flickers through your mind, of how you feel to stay still and just exist.
Setting aside a couple of minutes to yourself a day to gather your mind and keep yourself together can do wonders for your focus and health. So on days when your mind is feeling a little too full, when you’re just a bit too aware of how loud your surroundings are, when you feel that you’re about to overflow or crack from the stress, maybe try some techniques in being mindful. You could find that you don’t mind a little time for yourself to simply be.