“Mindfulness” has become a popular word, but what does it mean, exactly? Here are some thoughts that have been proposed as definitions:
Being aware
Taking time
Making space for yourself or for another
Listening to your own feelings
Being okay with what comes to mind
Mindfulness is all these things. Recognizing our feelings and sensations, and learning how they resonate in our bodies, is mindfulness. Making the connection between cause and effect is mindfulness. Seeing things for what they are and accepting that we cannot control everything are mindfulness.
I often ask my patients unusual questions, such as, “When was the first time you felt [a certain way] and what were you doing right before you felt it?” Or, “What is the sensation of pain that you feel?” Some patients have not considered these questions, and may be caught off guard by them. They may be difficult questions for some patients to answer. Many patients feel strong sensations but get caught up in the symptoms without stopping to consider the connections to experiences or lifestyle.
There was a gentleman in my office who suffered from ADHD, low energy, and sleep disturbances. He improved after a regimen of herbs, homeopathy, and nutrition changes. However, there was one symptom that seemed too stubborn to improve – his red throat. His throat seemed angry without cause. For some reason, there was an obstacle to healing for him. I asked him to consider the things that he was having difficulty swallowing and about which he was unable to speak. Receptive to the idea, the gentleman went home to consider my questions. He reported back that anger was the dominant emotion he was experiencing and that he was unable to speak of. Once he made this breakthrough, we were able to resolve the symptom of his red throat.
It takes mindfulness to know ourselves, connect the physical to the mental and the environmental, and to find the tools that will help rejuvenate our health, balance, and wellness.
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