Mindfulness Practice
What is it & Why do it by Rev. Marvin Brown
(this article appeared in "Arizona Together" - September, 2000) Mindfulness practice is the art of learning to be aware of the present moment. From this we experience the seven miracles of
mindfulness, two of which are health and freedom.
There are some simple things we can do to bring mindfulness into our lives. The first step is to be aware of our breathing. We can do this by just mentally noting our breath.
On the in breath you can think to yourself, "breathing in I know I am breathing in," and on the out breath, "breathing out I know that I am breathing out
." Eventually it can be shortened to "in/out."
During a sitting meditation you might practice breath awareness for twenty to thirty minutes. You don't have to wait until you can put together one
half hour of quiet time. You can stop wherever you are and totally focus on three
breaths. But when do you stop and do this? In the monastery they have a bell that rings periodically throughout the day, which is a reminder to stop and be aware of three breaths. Most of us don't have that luxury but we do have things that we can use. We can us the ringing of the phone or a red light in traffic as a reminder to be mindful of three breaths.
If we practice stopping and taking three breaths throughout the day, the day seems less stressful and we are more at peace. We tend to make better choices in our lives. The things we eat, say and do are more in keeping with
the way we want to live. We are brought into the present moment where we are able to receive the gifts of insight and gratitude allowing us to live richer and fuller lives.
Rev. Marvin Brown and his wife, Rev. Debbi Brown, are co-founders of the Peace House. They are dedicated to creating world peace and harmony. Marvin is a member of The
Order of Interbeing, founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, and teaches and leads a mindfulness practice. Call (602) 389-9862 for more information.. |
