Zen Tip #1 - Being Mindful During the Holidays

Do you rush through the holidays at a frenetic pace? Do you have too much to do and not enough time to do it? Believe it or not, being mindful can help.

Practicing mindfulness can improve both your mental and physical health. Being mindful is all about learning how to live in the moment. It's also about appreciating and being grateful for each moment.

To be mindful also means to be in a state of heightened awareness, or in a state of mind where you are focused solely on the present moment. Mindfulness is all about turning off the endless chatter in your mind. You can practice mindfulness by simply breathing and observing your breath. Mindfulness involves being aware of thoughts, but not judging them. By observing your thoughts in a detached manner, you can let go of cares and concerns.

The practice of mindfulness is all about observing the thoughts for exactly what they are: thoughts. By being mindful, you begin to realize that thoughts do not define you or control you, they simply are. By observing your thoughts in a detached manner, you can disassociate from your thoughts and learn how to relax and let go.

Being present in the moment is incredibly empowering. It means focusing your awareness on the here and now. It means accepting and understanding that each moment is meant to be experienced right now - because tomorrow really never comes. Living in the present moment can completely transform your life.

It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life to the point that you are merely going through the motions. Being mindful can help you realize that it's also important to stop and enjoy those moments because they will never come again.

The holidays can be such a special time - but unless you stop and take a breath, you may not even notice it. The holidays are all about creating memories and being mindful helps you stop and appreciate and cherish those memories.

For example, instead of rushing through the day, running from here to there, you could stop for a moment and take a breath, and take in everything around you. It doesn't take a lot of time to be mindful, and as a matter of fact you can practice the art of being mindful through a simple everyday act.

The Buddhist Monks have something known as the Tea Ceremony and it is all about enjoying each precious moment when preparing and drinking tea. By paying attention, you can enjoy preparing the tea as much as making the tea and stirring the cup. You can also enjoy that first lovely sip of tea as well as that last sip. You can be mindful while washing dishes or even cooking because it's really about paying attention and being in the present moment instead of allowing your mind to wander and multitask.

You can try practicing some mindfulness when you are wrapping gifts, putting up the tree, baking holiday cookies or even while attending a church or synagogue or other religious or spiritual establishment.

So the next time you feel stressed - try being mindful by stopping what you are doing and living in the moment. Enjoy all those people around you, have a cup of tea, bake some bread, hug your children or just sit and listen to the sounds of nature. Take five minutes - because sometimes that's all you need to reset and clear your energy.

Take time every day to be mindful and grateful at all the wonderful gifts you already have in your life, and you will feel blessed every day.

Your friend in peace,

Leslie Riopel, MA, ACHT