Posted on January 30, 2014.

A crash course in Mindfulness

I'll go more into it as time goes on, but fear, depression, anxiety are in the Fear camp, which is the polar opposite of Love, and Passion is firmly in the Love camp. To start any Passionizing™ practice, you'll have to learn how to stop Fear dead in its tracks.

The very first step is to change Fear into Peace. And you do that with mindfulness.

Just try it

Breathe.

Start out by paying attention to your breath. Really, pay close attention to the feeling of your ribs expanding, your chest rising and falling, the temperature of air in your nostrils, your nostrils flaring.

Now breathe deep.

That is to say expand your belly with your breath. It will help if you sit up straight. Feel the difference in your ribs; you shouldn't be expanding them as much as your belly is expanding.

Continue breathing deeply, but now start bringing your attention downwards, until you're at the lowest part of your body that you can feel. For most of us that's our toes. For some it's someplace else.

Now wiggle your toes, or wiggle your butt in the chair, or move your shoulders or head if that's all you're capable of.

If you do this, you're completely in your body. You're in the Now. You've just had a crash course in mindfulness. Lather, rinse, repeat. Do it daily. I'll give more advanced tips on mindfulness later. I mean, we can really get all ninja on mindfulness.

Why should I practice Mindfulness?

Mindfulness brings you completely into the present. It eases anxiety, depression, guilt, sadness, and more. It can help you be fully present to your partner during intimate moments. Studies are quickly piling up on the benefits of mindfulness.

Mindfulness is being shown to be as effective as anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds.

I can't emphasize it enough. It's a simple, portable, universal technique that I recommended in SURRENDER™ to Passion: Worried to Wonderful in 28 Days, a book I wrote in 2010, and now 4 years later it's all the rage, with scientific backing and all that.

For recent and more detailed reading on the benefits of mindfulness: Is meditation the new anti-depressant? Mindfulness practice may be more effective than drugs for anxiety, depression.

And if you want more overall information on how to do it, why to do it, and a little bit on taking it to the next level, check out: What Is "Mindfulness," and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?

Other Posts in January 2014