Written by Ora Nadrich, author of Mindfulness and Mysticism: Connecting Present Moment Awareness with Higher States of Consciousness
Too often we let ourselves become prey to an obsessive need to be constantly busy and distracted. We endlessly sprint on our hamster wheel, remaining at the mercy of what raises our adrenalin level and heart rate. All of our wanting and needing and having, and then wanting and needing to have more, never seems to stop. Yet all along, what we’re really seeking can’t be found by rushing ever forward.
Don’t we want to know what this life, this reality, truly is? It can’t possibly be just what’s on the surface or in some elusive future. But how do we begin to explore what’s beyond the surface?
Actually, we all have the ability to become more awake and more present and aware. Practicing Mindfulness is a way to rein in the harried thoughts swirling through our minds. It holds us in present moment awareness. As we stay focused on the present, we’re able to look more deeply into what we’re actually feeling in each moment. It’s as though we’ve tapped into our spirit and it’s telling us, “Stay here in this moment and look more deeply into what you’re seeing.”
Mindfulness lets us explore the contents of our minds, which makes us more conscious. And, by being in this state of heightened consciousness, we become observant of our thoughts and feelings with acceptance and non-judgment. In this state, we’re no longer governed by our egos or need for social acceptance. With a more amplified awareness, Mindfulness helps us guide ourselves wisely and points us in the direction our spirit yearns for instead of one that can be hurtful, harmful, or hollow to us.
Tapping into more heightened awareness means that we can participate in life not only as grounded, sensible human beings, but we also become deeply aware of everything and everyone around us simultaneously. Everything we do is done with conscious awareness, and therefore, we can be more thoughtful, kind, compassionate, sensitive, and attuned.
Yes, life can be complicated and chaotic, but it takes getting out of our own way and out from under all of the drama we create to stop and look at the pure, simple essence of the world in which we’re apart.
Use these Mindfulness tips to unite with your spirit.
1. Focus on the breath to connect to present-moment awareness. Connecting to your breath will aid you in your Mindfulness practice. Start by sitting in a quiet place, eyes closed, and noting any sounds, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Tell yourself that it’s okay to let everything and everyone go. Put your focus on your breath as you take several deep breaths in and out. Be aware that you’re in the moment of “now.” Gently let go of any thoughts of the past or the future that come into your head. Tell yourself that there’s no need to consider anything but the fullness of your breath and the calmness of your spirit.
2. Surrender your ego-driven self. Learn to value slowing down and quieting the mind. This means you must refrain from manipulating the world, or your thoughts about your world, to feed your ego. Get out of your own way and out from under the drama you create. Don’t let your “small self” run the show. Aspire to heighten your awareness, raise your consciousness and lift the veils of falseness one by one.
3. Feed your spirit. When you feel a restlessness or discontent, that’s your spirit telling you something — something extremely important. But, if instead of going deeper within to find out what’s troubling your spirit, you choose a type of distraction or a way to anesthetize yourself, you aren’t tending to your spirit. Feeding your spirit can mean anything from meditating, practicing yoga, sitting in contemplation, walking in nature, gardening, playing with a pet, making love, painting, cooking, serving someone in need of moving to music. Your spirit will let you know when it’s being nourished.
4. Become receptive to a sense of oneness. As you begin to explore life beyond the surface, you soon begin to sense that there’s so much more to see and know. You are part of the collective, the oneness and the supreme consciousness that breathes life into us all. Consciously become aligned with it. Let Mindfulness lead you down a mystical path.
When you tend to your spirit through practicing Mindfulness, staying in present moment awareness, and committing to self-surrender, you will feel the shift. And with your own shift in consciousness, you help to raise the consciousness of the planet.
About the author
Ora Nadrich is a pioneering Mindfulness expert, international keynote speaker, and coach, and the founder and president of the Institute for Transformational Thinking. A sought-after expert in the fields of Mindfulness, transformational thinking, and self-discovery, she is the author of Says Who? How One Simple Question Can Change the Way You Think Forever and Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity, named “one of the 100 Best Mindfulness Books of All Time” by BookAuthority. Her new book is Mindfulness and Mysticism: Connecting Present Moment Awareness with Higher States of Consciousness (IFTT, Nov. 11, 2021). Learn more at oranadrich.com
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