Mindfulness - Taking Self-Development to the Next Level

"There is no yesterday, and there is no tomorrow. Only the present moment is real." While this may sound like another silly ancient wisdom, think for a moment about the meaning of this quote. Does it hold any logic? Aren't the past and future mere abstractions - elusive and intangible? Just a brain-made projection?

Let's do some simple mental tasks. Sit still for a moment, straighten your back, close your eyes, and try to recall your favorite childhood moment or place where you loved to hang out and play with your friends. Think of as many details as possible - the people you were with, the temperature of your surroundings, your feelings, your mood... Pay attention to all the details you can remember. How well can you describe them?

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I bet surprisingly many and precisely! Let's go a little further. Do you remember the moment when you were sitting in physics class? Or any other lesson that made you feel tired and bored. When time "stood still," and that one lesson seemed to go on forever? What did your classroom look like? Can you describe what it smelled like? Who was sitting in the chair next to you? Take a minute.

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Did you do well? Of course you have. Now, think back to the last two weeks. Tell me what your week was like. How much detail can you give for each day?

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Not too much? Well, you can easily assume that you have performed routine tasks such as "getting up in the morning, going to work, and relaxing in the evening." Even so, you probably can't describe them in as much detail as the first and second tasks. Right?

Children are mindful in everything they do. They engage all of their senses with everything they experience so that their brains can learn by gathering as much information as possible. As we get older, we fall into a mindless routine. Time seems to speed up with each passing year. We are constantly bombarded by noisy environments, from humming refrigerators and computers to traffic jams and background chatter, while many of us tend to keep spiking dopamine with cheap entertainment, such as browsing social media or watching TV shows. When we turn around, we're older than we thought and can't really remember the last 20 years of our lives. The daily routine consumes the joy of simple moments.

Mindfulness - What is it?

Mindfulness is one of the best ways to deal with routine and regain the childlike joy and happiness of experiencing life. While many tend to call it "a technique derived from meditation," it is actually one of the most natural states of mind that people lived in on a daily basis before the digital age. Mindfulness is all about engaging and sensitizing your senses, being aware of things you do with your sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. You don't have to sit or lie down and close your eyes, count your breaths, or watch your thoughts; no experience is needed as well. You can practice at any time of the day, even while doing everyday tasks like ironing, walking, or listening to music. Just be the person behind your eyes, not a mindless observer.

Benefits

Practicing mindfulness is highly beneficial for the body and mind. It's one of the best ways to overcome:
- anxiety
- pain (including chronic pain)
- depression
- stress
- insomnia
- job burnout
- negative thought patterns
- mental blockages
- D2 receptor desensitization

But that's not all. Regular practice significantly improves and enhances:
- emotional intelligence
- self control
- self-acceptance
- self-understanding
- concentration
- well-being
- good mood
- social skills
and:
- sensitizes dopamine receptors
- allows you to enjoy simple moments
- improves mind-muscle connection
- makes every day become special (kills routine)
- "slows down time" and prevents life from slipping through your fingers
- improves vividness of regular dreams (and improves the chance for spontaneous lucid dreams)

How to practice mindfulness?

There are many ways to practice mindfulness, but in fact, you don't have to choose any particular method. You practice it every time you take a few seconds for yourself and - focus on the present moment - your surroundings - sensitizing your senses - all of them. Soon, your thoughts about tasks you have to do or have done in the past will fade away, and you'll feel the inner freedom and awareness - you'll start to live consciously.

Examples:

1. Whenever you eat or prepare a cup of tea or your favorite meal, let it become a pleasant ritual. - e.g., when you pour water into the kettle, watch carefully as the water fills the container, feel how you hold it in your hand, and hear how the water rushes into. Before you drink your tea, smell it, and taste a little of it on a spoon. As you drink, carefully admire its flavor and feel how it fills your mouth. Enjoy the moment, and stop thinking about your past or plans for today. Just "be there" and enjoy the fact you have the opportunity to take a few minutes for yourself.

2. "Body scan meditation" - Lie comfortably on your back. Focus your attention on each part of your body, one by one from toe to head, then back again from head to toe. Try to become aware of all the sensations, thoughts, and emotions that are associated with each of your body parts. After a while, ask yourself, "What does my body need?" Then allow the answer to flow into your mind.

3. When talking to someone, listen carefully to what they are saying. Notice their facial expressions and gestures. Try to feel their feelings. Engage in discussion.

4. "Just focus" and force the brain to get out of its default mode network. For example, when sitting at a desk, take a mindful note of your surroundings instead of letting your mind wander uncontrollably. When taking a shower, heighten your senses and focus on the water falling on your body. When you walk into another room in your home, take an attentive look at your surroundings. If you go to the gym, the time between sets is a perfect time to practice this method. Take advantage of it.

5. "Breathwork" - Adding a short breathwork session to your morning routine can quickly energize your body and mind, far better than two cups of coffee. During and after a breath hold, you'll find yourself in a deeply mindful state. I'll focus on this subject in a separate article.

6. Winter swimming / cold showers. Try it once and you'll understand how easy it is to achieve a state of mindfulness and what it really feels like.

7. Hiking. Go for a solitary walk in a quiet environment for at least an hour (2 hours is recommended). Don't listen to music, just be with your thoughts. The realizations you can come to during your journey will amaze you.

Try to practice mindfulness for at least 3-5 minutes a day. You will notice a significant shift in your perception even after a single session, but just as with subliminal programming - consistency is the key.

Whenever you have more spare time, instead of browsing social media and spiking your dopamine with cheap entertainment, take a walk in the woods (best without music on your headphones). Hiking alone is no less mind-altering than a moderate-dose psychedelic trip. With regular practice, you'll be amazed at how your self-understanding and enjoyment of simply being alive will grow with each day.

Note that our brains are used to their comfort zone - the default mode when they rest passively. For this reason, practicing mindfulness can be a bit challenging and tiring at first, or naturally cause a moderate anxiety, but over time it will become more and more effortless.

Life is too short to live unconsciously.

Psychedelic microdosing is another method for enhancing mindful meditation. Read more: Psychedelics - The panacea for depression and a highly potent smart drug? | How do they work? / Microdosing / My personal experience