Mindfulness
a healthy antidote to a hectic 21st Century lifestyle

Mindfulness -  awareness in the present moment, without judgement and with an open curiosity - is unlike a lot of things in our fast-paced lives.  It is not a quick fix.  In fact it is not a fix at all as none of us is broken, we just need to connect to the stillness inside to be reminded of just how amazing we really are. 

We have all, at some time, found ourselves 'miles away' lost in thought and acting on 'automatic pilot' mode.  When we can recognise the tendency to be in this mode and the powerful influences taking us away from the present moment, we are practicing Mindfulness.   The biggest of these influences is our habit to judge life as not being quite right in some way - not what we wanted or expected, not good enough.  

Through regular formal (meditation) and informal practices (everyday activities) we will learn to go beyond the chatter of the mind and rediscover the natural balance of our mind and body.  It is liberating to discover that thoughts are just that - thoughts.  As we observe our thoughts in a non-judgmental, curious way we learn to be free of stories of the past and the worries of the future making way for productive and creative thinking.  Freedom is a precious thing and something we are all entitled to.
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The Stylistics put it succinctly in the title of their 1970s hit - "Stop, look, listen to your heart".  By taking pauses and tuning into our senses, thoughts and body sensations we can cultivate a new relationship with ourselves where we are not always in our heads.  This results in a more loving, compassionate approach to all of our other relationships - family, work colleagues and the world around us.