I was in the middle of multiple chronic health problems, plus depression and anxiety (both untreated/ undiagnosed)
I was going to all the Doctors and specialists trying to find out what was wrong with my body. I was falling apart. You name it, it wasn’t working and was hurting. That will be another story.
When the doctors can’t help you, you start looking everywhere else.
I’m a researcher and thankfully the internet helped me to discover mindfulness meditation back in 2008. It wasn’t well known like it is now. Anyone I mentioned it to thought I was crazy.
I found Jon Kabat-Zinn’s books and audio CDs. I worked myself through his 8 week program. Later I found a Buddhist teacher who taught the same program in person and I did it twice and continued to study other great teachers.
In the middle of the first program, I started to feel real joy again – simple and pure joy.
I also started to see the glimmer of hope that I could actually press the pause button in my anger. I started to believe I could and eventually I learned how to pause and not automatically yell at my kids.
Daily chronic pains and problems started to shift, decrease, and disappear.
Mindfulness and thought work, together saved my life.
What does mindfulness meditation look like?
For me it ranges from an all day silent retreat to a 20- 45 minute sitting or laying meditation to one simple breath in and one simple breath out.
On a daily basis I have moments carved out that I keep mindful, silent and present: the shower, first bites of food, starting to drive, washing hands, first moments after waking up, etc.
I often step outside and check in with my senses, breathe and get grounded.
I frequently check in with my breath and body and am very in tune with what it is telling me.
I spend a lot of time on the floor stretching and strengthening my body. (why sit on a chair when your feet don’t reach the ground anyway?)
Generally I’m meditating for 10-20 minutes daily or often pockets of 3-5 minutes throughout the day, especially with transitions – pausing to get centered before starting something new.
Am I perfectly consistent in this? Of course not. I’m human.
But, the beauty of mindfulness meditation is not making judgements (and simply noticing the judgements when you do make them) and continually starting over again and again and again.
When you notice you lost your focus and are long gone in thought, you simply bring your focus back.
That’s all.
Are you ready to learn how to be more mindful daily? Or how to practice mindfulness mediation? Or find out how this can help you daily?
Listen to a podcast I gave about mindfulness and check out my mindfulness resources page or let me teach you.
I’m doing free sessions for missionaries and parents. Schedule a time for a FREE session. Have a quick question? Shoot me an email at info@jillfreestone.com. I’d love to hear from you.
