Practical introduction to mindfulness

The Art of Being Present

In a world that constantly pushes us towards distraction and autopilot, Mindfulness or Full Attention emerges as an essential skill for mental health and emotional intelligence.

At its core, mindfulness is the practice of deliberately and intentionally paying attention to the present moment, observing our thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations without judging them.

It is the antidote to the wandering mind that lives trapped in worries about the future or regrets about the past.

An Anchor in the Body. The Finger Exercise

For those new to this practice, a simple but extraordinarily effective exercise is to ground yourself in physical sensations.

This technique helps us move beyond the abstraction of our thoughts and connect with the tangible reality of the now.

The practice is as follows:

• Find a comfortable position: Sit in a chair with your back straight but not rigid, and your feet flat on the floor.
• Close your eyes gently: This helps reduce external distractions.
• Bring your attention to your hands: Gently touch the pad of your thumb to the pad of your middle finger.
• Explore the sensation: Begin to rub your two fingers together very slowly, in a circular motion. Bring your full attention to that small point of contact.

What exactly do you feel? Notice the texture of your skin, the light pressure, the temperature. Immerse yourself fully in the richness of that simple sensation.

• Manage distractions: Your mind will inevitably wander off with thoughts. It's its nature. When you notice yourself wandering, don't criticize yourself.

Simply gently notice where your attention wandered ("ah, I'm thinking about work") and gently but firmly redirect it back to the sensation of your fingers rubbing together.

The Attention Muscle

This exercise is like lifting weights for the attention "muscle." Each time you bring your mind back, you are strengthening it.

Practicing mindfulness regularly provides us with an inner refuge, a place of calm to which we can always return, and cultivates the mental space necessary to observe our emotions rather than being swept away by them, giving us the power to choose our response.