Creating Joy Through a Mindfulness Practice
You don’t have to be religious or even spiritual to experience sustainable happiness every day. The spiritual practice of Buddhism offers us insight for experiencing profound contentment and peace in mind. Imagine living a joyful life regardless of what happens around you. Think of your mind as a blank canvas, waiting for a fresh image to be created every day. You choose the colors, the shapes, and how heavily or lightly to apply the paint. Do you choose bright and light, or dark and heavy?
Humans are conditioned to be defensive, we are programmed to react negatively to situations beyond our control. Our fears and our self consciousness influence how we think other people might perceive us which is usually defined by our own self judgement. These beliefs shape our minds and the quality of our lives. We personalize outside experiences, allowing them to affect our happiness and contentment in life! Is that logical?
Just to be clear I will reiterate-our minds are used to “guessing” what others think about us and our fears are influencing our ability to experience happiness. It’s all in your mind!
Humans have advanced scientifically and technologically over the past 200 hundred years, far beyond what anyone could have imagined, but emotionally we still operate with our innate “monkey mind” to direct our behavior. The obsession with self concern (ego) and unfounded fears shapes our behaviors in negative ways every single day.
Becoming a happier human
What does ancient Asian wisdom offer us that can shift the cyclical mind processes in order to facilitate life contentment, inner knowing, peace, and joy? It’s simply the discipline of mindfulness; becoming aware of the fallacy of the thinking mind.
The study of yogic and Buddhist teachings shaped my own daily mindfulness practice and the results are undeniable, In the past 6 years, with dedication and discipline, I have transformed my mind and totally enriched my experience of life. It’s been an incredible journey and challenging process for sure.
Mindfulness means…
…becoming aware. The chatter in our mind is not “us”, rather it is the result of neural firings in the memory centers of the brain which constantly retrieve information based on past experiences and for the defense of the ego. Even the future we “imagine” is shaped by our previous experiences (if we allow). Why be shaped by the past? Let yourself experience all of the infinite possibilities of the future.
…letting go of attachments. This means that we have a choice of how we perceive life experiences and the myriad people who we come in contact with. We can struggle to be in “control” of situations, defending ourselves and our property, or we can just “accept” the way things flow without becoming personally invested in the outcomes (even if it is personal). Outcomes do not define us and they also do not always need to influence our emotional state. Why let your emotions control you?
…non-judgement (period). We can release our expectations of what “should” be and know that when we are open to differences, without attachment to our own ideas of right and wrong, we allow our own personal growth and contentment. A life without the weight of judgement is a life of freedom and inner peace. Release self judgement, self criticism, and rigid “preferences”. True open mindedness is allowing new experiences, different people, challenging ideas, and original concepts to flow and help us grow.
…loving kindness. I’m going to admit that I used to roll my eyes at this one. “Loving Kindness” seems like a cliché, a “feel good” motto that isn’t necessarily realistic or logical. Actually it works. When we hone our skills in experiencing “loving kindness” we begin to dissolve less effective emotional responses to negative stimuli. Practicing true loving kindness (think of empathy) towards people who annoy us can be totally transformative. Yes, love and kindness, for others and for ourselves, invites expansion of the heart and a lightness of being.
…gratitude. It’s so simple and probably the most effective way to enjoy life more. Experiencing gratitude every day is as simple as acknowledging the gifts that bless our lives, even in the mundane. A stranger opens a door for you~gratitude. Taking time time for a cup of tea and a good book~gratitude. Noticing the vibrant colors of a fallen leaf in the autumn~gratitude. Noticing life happening all around you being grateful to be alive. Over and over again, every day.
….sitting still Sitting still is the practice of meditation. We must stop and sit to allow reflection and release. It’s not so much about “clearing the mind”, it’s more about consciously letting go of judgements and attachments while we cultivate pure awareness and loving kindness. It’s very difficult at first to sit still and do “nothing”, but then, with discipline and practice, it becomes the “go to” space for presence and generating a sense of joy. Before long both moving and stillness become addictive!
…moving rapidly. Actually I added the rapid movement part (not a Buddhist practice) because cardiovascular exercise influences our emotional states and leads to more happiness and joy. It’s been researched in depth by real scientists and time tested by me personally. By cycling , rapid walking or hiking, sometimes sprinting, every single day (mostly), I can personally attest to the all of benefits of getting my heart rate up and building, strength, resilience, and joy through exercise.
Putting them into practice
These practices are the basis of how I teach yoga and also the foundation for how I guide each of my clients on their journeys to optimal health and well being. It’s incredible to discover that even though we cannot control much of what happens in our lives we can control our emotional responses to most things while building emotional and physical strength, resilience, and balance.
Let me guide you into a daily practice while designing a life that equates to the best possible one you could create. In essence, you can be the best version of your Self, it just takes discipline and practice.
