Mindfulness, yoga, meditation...what is it all about?
Being "in the moment" or "being present".... it can all get a bit much so let's look at this in a holistic way, as for me, it is about creating and performing rituals which work for you!
One of the things I love about my "job" is the sharing of experiences with my clients. I am a Holistic Therapist however I am also an experienced individual with over 50 years of life experience so I believe I have earned the right to speak and share my thoughts...
At the end of any treatment, I will sit with my client to discuss the small things we can incorporate into our daily lives which will make a significant difference to us.... a bit like The Compound Effect as Darren Hardy explains in this amazing book!
The most frequent objection / excuse I hear (apart from not having enough time!) is that they (my clients) say they feel intimidated by Meditation and Yoga because they think there is a pre-requisite to performing these practices like being a guru or a contortionist !
Thus my "after care" session will start off with me asking the client if they enjoy a cup of Chai (tea) or a mug of something warm at some point in the day. They mostly answer yes which then allows me to share my experience...my Chai ritual which I perform without fail.
I simply make myself a cup of tea in the afternoon and I ensure that I am away from my phone and any form of gadget or technology apart from the Quooker I use to dispense my hot water!
While making the tea, I remain fully present from selecting my favorite mug, to adding the tea leaves, chai masala and indulging occasionally with some fresh ginger, mint leaves or lemongrass. (sometimes all 3!) I brew my tea and then take it to my "zen space" which could be the garden, conservatory or sometimes just another room.
I listen to the silence if I am indoors but mostly I choose to be outside. I just sit and take in nature....listening to the leaves as the branches sway in the breeze, observing the bees and butterflies caressing the flowers. I listen to the birds singing their song, I will touch the lawn with my bare feet and feel energised with its cooling effect, or if it is too cold I will stroke a leaf or shrub.
I taste my tea and with each sip, identify the flavours and aromas. This, I tell my client, is MY sacred time and occasionally, due to work or travel, if I miss this "slot" I really do feel as though I have missed an important part of my day.
I'm not talking hours to perform this ritual I'm talking 10-15 minutes, however those moments are mine...they are for me.
And during this time I will be only in the moment, putting all other tasks and thoughts behind.
I thank my daughter for this chai ritual as back in the day, during her study leave when she would come home to revise, we would make a daily appointment to meet downstairs for tea and cookies! It would be our time to pause and catch up and take a break from our activities.
Although my daughter has moved on, into her own home, I continue to perform this ritual with a smile across my face.
More often than not, I see the cogs turning away in my client's mind while I speak, as they realise this is something they can easily incorporate into their schedule because it is so simple. In having a cup of Chai we are using our senses, being present and we are also being mindful....we are living in the moment.
Another of my examples is about our breath and breathing. On average we take between 20,000 to 23,000 breaths in a day and most of this is done without even thinking about it. So why not focus on the breath to bring us back to the present moment? You can do this anywhere...you just have to be conscious of the in breath and the out breath.
Trust me, you wont think of anything but your breath. May be count to 4 as you breath in and extend your out breath for a couple of counts longer. Try pausing for a few counts before you exhale.
You will notice the difference feeling calmer, grounded and present! Meditation in very simple terms it is about quietening the mind and being in the present moment and Yoga is about bringing harmony between mind and body thus not necessarily performing asanas.
If we allow the thoughts which enter our mind to just come and go we are controlling our mind and staying present.
By choosing to not dwell on a thought, nor get carried away with even more thoughts, and instead if we just acknowledge the thought and let it go we will stay in the now.
So .,..is my Chai ritual not the perfect self care, me time, being in the present moment solution? Of course it doesn't have to be Chai, other beverages are available!
I am like this with gardening and cooking too ...focusing on the task at hand without letting anything else distract me.
Following any treatment, when my client thanks me, I also thank them back and explain to them how whilst providing them with a therapy I too am benefitting as I am living in the present moment. With Reflexology it is the feet and me and whilst performing a facial massage it is just me and the face! I do not allow anything to interrupt my thoughts so whilst you indulge in a Holistic pamper I too am in a meditative state.
DISCLAIMER
All thoughts and opinions expressed above are based on my own experience.
photo credit @mcskyline @figgyjammy