Mindfulness is the ability to live the present moment without evaluation and be 100% present in it, as well as freedom from automatic patterns of behavior, thoughts and emotions, according to the Association of Mindfulness Researchers (AMRA). Foreign psychologists call this state mindfulness. All that is needed for a conscious life is to shift attention from thoughts and making plans to reality itself. What you will see will amaze you. Bodily practices, lucid dreaming, extreme sports, yoga, martial arts and meditation help to immerse yourself in the “now”. The state of total presence that you experience during these activities becomes a habit. This is how you increase awareness. What does mindfulness practice do?

1. Success and effectiveness

Mindfulness is a switch that triggers the growth of other parameters of a successful life. You can consciously negotiate, grow above yourself and go towards your goals. Logically, the results will be much better than if you continue to do all this unconsciously. A study conducted at Harvard Medical School shows mindfulness practices make the brain function more efficiently. Mindfulness, like the NZT pill from the painting “Regions of Darkness”, awakens the hidden resources of the brain and leads you to success.

2. Pleasure

The taste of food is brighter if you don’t watch the movie in parallel, but eat by focusing on the moment. Sex is better if you don’t think about repairs or work during the process. The problem is that we are completely prevented from engaging in one activity by thoughts. Meditation will help: it increases the level of serotonin in the brain and teaches you to stop the “thought mixer”. As a result, you actively delve into your every action and enjoy even washing dishes.

3. The ability to focus

Just two weeks of regular mindfulness practices significantly improve reading comprehension, memory capacity, and concentration. Google, the US Marine Corps, and the UK Parliament are using mindfulness training to improve their performance. Take an example.

4. A healthy heart

The ability to enter a state of meditation has been scientifically proven to help normalize high blood pressure, which means reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Scientists attribute this to the fact that a conscious attitude towards one’s body and health motivates people to lead a lifestyle healthy for the heart. That is, to skillfully regulate stress levels and avoid factors that provoke heart disease: smoking and uncontrolled eating of fatty foods.

5. Longevity and a healthy mind

Meditation and yoga significantly reduce the rate of cellular aging. With age, the cerebral cortex decreases in thickness and volume, speech slows down, and some even develop Alzheimer’s disease. Mindfulness practices stop these processes and prolong the life of the body and mind. So practice if you want to feel 30 at 60.

6. Harmonious relationships

The experience of meditation teaches you to be more attentive to your own emotions and to read the emotions of others more accurately. In addition, you become less irritable, which helps to create a strong relationship. This is confirmed by a study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco. Mindfulness allows you not to compare your partner with your predecessors and accept him for who he is. And the ability to be in the present moment removes unrealistic expectations. Save yourself a ton of frustrations and a whole pool of shed tears — start meditating.

7. Freedom from fears and phobias

The state of meditation helps to get rid of phobias and panic attacks. Regular mindfulness practice reduces activity in the right prefrontal cortex and amygdala, which are responsible for irrational fears. At the same time, activity in the left prefrontal cortex, which forms a state of joy and calm, increases. Meditation teaches you to separate the thought “It’s a spider” from the emotional reaction “It’s so creepy, I’m scared!” As a result, obsessive fears fade and lose their power.

8. Happiness

Mindfulness practices have an effect comparable to the effects of antidepressants, experts say. Only meditation has no side effects and it does not cause addiction. You can get rid of anxiety, stress and start enjoying life for free and legally, isn’t that happiness? How to get all these bonuses Stop distracting yourself from experiencing reality. Mindless Internet surfing, alcohol and drug use, and immersion in virtual worlds lead a person into a state of low awareness. Avoiding these activities will significantly increase awareness, and with it, the quality of life. If you are ready to go even further, practice mindfulness purposefully. There are thousands of techniques for meditating while driving, jogging, or painting. To music, mantras, in a noisy mall or in complete silence. If meditation is not for you, use breathing exercises, qigong, or even a technique you have invented. Learn how to control your dreams, and you will be able to transfer this skill of mindfulness to real life. Choose a practice you like and take action. Source: Lifehacker