Mindfulness creates space for us to move from old mindless reactions to mindful responses.  Mindfulness allows us to look at difficulties with an open mind.  Rather than focusing attention on the difficulty itself, we instead look within to discover how we can best meet the difficulty.

For instance, if you find yourself stuck in traffic and know you will be late for an appointment, you can either fall into reactivity or choose to respond mindfully.  If typical reactions involve worry and obsessing about possible consequences, bring your awareness to the current moment.  Realize that the most important thing you need to do is focus on getting yourself safely to your destination.  If worrisome thoughts dominate your experience, you run the risk of putting yourself into more difficulties.  Ground yourself in the reality of the current moment.  You are stuck in traffic but you are also alive and well.  Breathe deeply, feeling satisfaction from this truth and await for more mindful responses to arise.

Mindfulness is achieved through mindfulness meditation, a practice that harmonizes mind and body.  With focus on being fully present in the moment, we can purposely calm ourselves in the heat of stressful situations and create space for healthy adaptive responses.  The key to success is practice.  Practice regularly and practice often.  Practice during calm periods before difficulties arise.  Set aside time every day to develop the habit of accessing inner peace at will.

Stress is a growing concern for many.  Take a proactive approach to managing stress and attend a free 30 minute seminar on the healing power of mindfulness.  This event takes place during the Healthy Living Fair in Port Coquitlam on Saturday, February 15, 2014, starting at 11:30 a.m. in Room #1.  Come visit the Mind Master booth and enter to win a free consultation or Stress Management seminar.

The Healthy Living Fair has something for adults of all ages.  Admission is Free!  Check out what’s new and familiarize yourself with over 50 other health and wellness services available in the Tri-Cities.  This fair runs for one day only, from 10:00 am to 2:00 at Wilson Centre, 2150 Wilson Avenue, Port Coquitlam.  Hope to see you there!

Life can feel mundane especially when filled with routine activities from morning to night, seven days a week.  Days can blur into weeks and weeks into months.  Lack of variety and interest with routines may dull our senses and take away appreciation for life.  What do you take for granted?  Work? Meals? Home life?  Take a giant step backwards and remind yourself of the value of life-sustaining routines.

Work provides structure and purpose, while cooking and cleaning provide basics for wellness.  Routines are grounding forces that help to maintain normalcy when calamity strikes.  Appreciate routines for all the goodness they bring.  Appreciate all of the little nurturing things you do each day to maintain good health and comfort.  Take nothing for granted.  That is what mindfulness is all about!

The opposite of mindfulness is mindlessness.  When we are on auto-pilot, acting out of habit without questioning ourselves and the impact of our choices, we fall into the fog of mindlessness.  In this fog, our thought processes take a back seat while mindless doing prevails.  Acting without forethought, we numb ourselves to realities of the present moment and neglect deeper truths.  Bring mindfulness back by consciously stopping the doing and surrender to being.

For instance, with the habit of worrying in the middle of the night, surrender your thoughts to breath.  Bring awareness to the present moment, focusing on each inhale and each exhale.  Bring awareness to appreciation for this most precious gift in life: your breath.  When thoughts arise, as they always will, do not engage in them but allow them float away effortlessly.  Maintain focus on breath and peaceful gratitude for the gift of life.

Mindfulness and harmony go hand in hand.  When we live mindfully, we are in harmony with ourselves and with the world.  We are tuned in to the wisdom of our heart and the interconnected nature of all living things.

Mindfulness Tip #3   Bring awareness to the fact that what you choose in the present moment influences what happens next.  Know that great possibilities and opportunities for growth exist in every moment of our lives.  See with clarity the course you are currently on and mindfully chart a path for yourself that is congruent with the rhythm of your heart.

Buddhist saying:  “Be a light unto yourself.”

Mind Master is pleased to present a series of open discussions on Mindfulness and Meditation at Wilson Centre, 2150 Wilson Avenue, Pot Coquitlam, B.C.

Friday, January 24, 2014  10:00 – 11:00 am.  “The Wisdom of Meditation” There are treasures within each of us awaiting discovery.  Find out what your infinite well of resources holds and join fascinating discussions on the fundamentals of practice.  Like rehearsing a new language, you will access another world beyond your conscious knowledge.  Have fun creating your own personal meditation for improved mental energy, creativity, and intuition!

Friday, February 21, 2014  10:00 – 11:00 am. “The Art of Meditation” is a timeless path to pure happiness. Learn the pleasure and richness of meditation for yourself in this experiential journey that takes you through a variety of relaxation exercises to soothe your mind and body.  Practice sitting, breath counting, inner exploration and moving band meditations to release tension and experience more joy and inner peace.

Friday, February 28, 2014  1:00 – 2:00 pm  “Everyday Mindfulness” is a learned habit.  If you are stuck on auto-pilot and not sure how to advance yourself, join this session to learn practical tips for living mindfully every day.  Develop greater awareness and more peace through healthy rituals you can practice immediately.  Enhanced quality of life is your reward when you live mindfully every day!

The cost for each session is only $5 for members and $8 for non-Wilson Centre members.  Register early as there are limited seats available.  Register on-line at experienceit.ca, by calling Wilson Centre at 604-927-7529 or in person at 2150 Wilson Avenue, Port Coquitlam.

Mind Master is pleased to present a series of 3 sessions on “The Healthy Brain“.  The first of these sessions, titled “Happy Brain” takes place on Thursday, January 30, 2014 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at Glen Pine Pavillion, 1200 Glen Pine Court in Coquitlam.

A happy brain is one that performs well.  Along with adequate sleep and regular exercise, there are 5 other important practices that contribute significantly to optimal brain health.  Learn what these are and practice a few before creating your own personal plan for maximizing brain power!

The second session, titled “S.O.S. Soothe Our Stress” takes place on Monday, February 17, 2014 from 9:30 to 11:00 am at Glen Pine Pavillion.  Science has proven that stress inhibits optimal brain functioning.  Join engaging discussions to learn new mindful ways for lowering stress and keeping it under control.  Bring stories of challenges, personal or otherwise, to practice creative problem solving and group brainstorming.  Note: stories will be randomly selected as time allows. 

The final session, titled “M.E. Managing Emotions” takes place on Thursday, March 27, 2014 from 9:30 to 11:00 am at Glen Pine Pavillion.  Anxiety, fear, hurt, and sadness can get the better of us if we allow.  Difficult emotions upset brain balance and hinder our ability to think clearly.  Learn effective strategies for managing emotions and restoring equilibrium to ensure optimal brain performance for years to come!

The cost for each session is only $10!  There are a limited number of seats available. Register on-line at coquitlam.ca/registration, by calling Glen Pine Pavillion at 604-927-4386, or in person.

Register early to avoid disappointment!

Your mind is a garden.  Cultivate an expansive field with rich and fertile soil for optimal growth.  Sow seeds of what you wish to harvest and be patient as abundant gardens flourish in their own time.

Mindfulness Tip #2   Ground yourself in the current moment through breath.  Allow any thoughts that arise to drift away, just as they had drifted in.  Focus on the here and now, free of past events and future predictions.  Immerse yourself in awareness of the present moment with the intention of embracing calm.  When ready, listen for insights from your heart.  These are the seeds you must nurture in your beautiful garden.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”   ~Oliver Wendell Holmes 

Mental fitness is all about maintaining equilibrium.  When difficulties arise, our body may show signs of stress and fatigue while our mind becomes cloudy and confused.  We cope by responding in one of two ways: consciously or unconsciously.  Conscious  responses involve mindful intention while unconscious responses involve habits without forethought.

Between every event and outcome is a window of choice.  Do habits prevail or mindful choices?  As we begin the new year, tips for mindfulness will be the focus of upcoming posts.  There will be a new tip each week that you can immediately apply to your every day life.  Simple and easy,  it just takes a moment of awareness and your commitment to the process.  Let us start afresh with plans to consciously incorporate more mindfulness into our daily life and override old habits for natural peace within.

Mindfulness Tip #1   The most basic habit of mindfulness comes from focusing on breath.  This conscious act brings you to the current moment, integrating mind and body.  Focus on the quality of each breath.  Is it fast or slow, shallow or normal?  Take a few slow deep breaths and allow any tension you may feel to leave your body with each exhale.  Give your mind a mental coffee break and allow thoughts to settle.  Practice mindful breathing throughout your day.  If necessary, post a note to remind yourself, set an alarm, or link this new habit to another routine activity.  Cultivate the habit of focused breathing for a powerfully refreshing start to the new year!

“All life is flowing, 

a continual process of becoming,

change and transformation.”

                                                                     ~ N. Mahathera

Mind Master is pleased to announce that this year’s recipient for annual charitable donations is the Alzheimer Society of B.C.  This non-profit organization provides free support groups and educational workshops for caregivers and individuals living with the disease.  Alzheimer’s is a common form of dementia which affects memory and normal cognitive functioning.  According to the Alzheimer Society, there are currently half a million Canadians living with some form of dementia.  Although no cure has yet been found, it has been proven that positive lifestyle choices can significantly slow progression.

Make mental fitness and wellness a priority today!  In closing, I would like to thank everyone who attended Mind Master sessions over the past year and contributed to the good karma of charitable giving.  All the best to you and your loved ones for a happy and healthy 2014!