Main points: Mindfulness is made up of awareness of the present moment and acceptance. Acceptance means many things but we can see it as not struggling against experiences that you can’t win against or that are not worth the effort. […]
A key mindfulness approach is to pay more attention to the present moment and less to the stories about the past or the future that our mind wants to tell us. Often these stories get us lost in old resentments […]
At start of a new year, it’s very tempting to focus on what we need to improve about ourselves. Indeed, this can even be helpful if not carried to extremes – sometimes enough of our resolutions get carried through to […]
Negative thoughts about events old and new or about what’s coming up in the future can easily harm our peace of mind. When such thoughts are occurring more often than is useful, try using a phrase such as ‘Not […]
Catharine Hannay’s book, Being You – Mindfulness for Girls, is reviewed by Lily Bennett (13) ‘Being You’ is a girl’s guide to mindfulness. Written by Catharine Hannay, this book is targeted at young/teenage girls. It has a clear understanding of […]
“Becoming more patient involves opening your heart to the present moment, even if you don’t like it. If you are stuck in a traffic jam, late for an appointment, opening to the moment would mean catching yourself building a mental […]
‘No regrets’ may be a fine name for a song but it won’t work in real life. To live is to accumulate regrets. What gives regrets their sharp edges is the belief that we could have made things work out […]
Most of us go around thinking thoughts detrimental to our own happiness, Ayya Khema points out in Know where you’re going. In other words we get lost in thoughts which repeat fears, anxieties, regrets and resentments. Very often these concern […]
“While this may sound passive to our action-oriented ears, the ability to rest comfortably in the present moment regardless of its imperfections is the foundation of all true happiness.” I really like this quote from Sharon Salzberg’s book, Real Happiness […]
We can’t always have something to celebrate for ourselves when our emotional mood is low. But taking pleasure in the good fortune of other people can help lift the darkness.
