Top insights on mindfulness with a former monk
Mindful exercises to help you feel more present, peaceful and calm
Text: Livvie B
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, mindfulness is defined as ‘the practice of being aware of your body, mind, and feelings in the present moment, thought to create a feeling of calm’. Whilst mindfulness has become something of a buzzword in recent years, the concept is deeply rooted in Buddhism which aims to show its followers the path to enlightenment. Being aware of your mind is considered to be the first step towards enlightenment. And who doesn’t want a bit of that?
With the act of mindfulness leading to proven health benefits such as better immune functioning, anxiety relief, reduced levels of depression, greater productivity, and enhanced quality of sleep, it’s no surprise that so many are seeking ways to become more mindful, especially during the absolute debacle that is 2020. But, do you have to dedicate your whole life to finding mind awareness, or is it possible to fast-track to a state of zen?
The Soothe spoke to former monk Hendrick ‘Dhammakamo’ (affectionately known as ‘DK’) who has one single intention: to bring zen into the city. In 2017, DK launched The Hermitage Zen, a meditation and spiritual community that designs, curates and organises teachings, programmes, workshops and retreats in Asia. Here’s the wisdom he shared with us:
What does mindfulness mean to you?
Mindfulness means to live fully in the present moment instead of living in our heads and bouncing between the past and future. We often base our projections of the future on past experiences, which may be flawed. Very often, our minds will wander off longing for things which do not actually contribute towards our wellbeing, and we end up getting trapped in unnecessary stressful situations. Being mindful helps us to recognise this and free ourselves from these wrong perceptions. Essentially, to be mindful is to be truly alive, present, and in touch with those around you and with what you are doing. It’s to awaken to the wonders of life that are happening in the here and now.
2. How can we incorporate mindfulness into daily life?
When we wake up each morning, instead of rushing to start our day, we can choose to welcome the beautiful sights and sounds around us; the fluffy white clouds, the blue sky, a scenic sunrise, the warm embrace of the sunlight. Doing so only takes a few minutes and it can be boosted with deep conscious and mindful breathing. Carried out regularly, it will help us to realise that there is an abundance of reasons for happiness. If we begin every day in such a calm manner, awareness of the mind will become a habit.
3. How much time do we need to make to focus on being more mindful?
Mindfulness is an energy that helps you get deeply in touch with life. It’s an enjoyable process and ideally has to be practiced daily in order to enjoy the benefits.
You can practice it at any time of the day. For beginners, it’s recommended to start with practising a mindful meditation 10 – 20 minutes at the start of your day before breakfast, and another session before bed. As everyone’s biological clock is different, you’ll figure out the best timing for yourself as you progress.
A few gentle reminders:
- The point of meditation is not to still the mind or focus on the breath. It’s about being mindful of what’s going on
- There’s no need to try to ‘feel’ your breath, because the breath is always there. You just need to be aware that it’s an anchor
- Meditation is not meant to stop the mind, but rather to catch it when it wanders off
The key is to cultivate a non-striving, judgement-free attitude as you build up your meditation repertoire. You can start with just 10 minutes of sitting meditation, accompanied by another 10 minutes of zen moments admiring nature or sipping tea. The duration of your practice will increase with time.
Please share your top 5 tips on becoming more mindful
Although meditation is important to help you develop awareness, you can have many brackets of mindful-time throughout your day. Read on:
1. Set an intention to focus on what has gone right in your life, instead of what may not have gone according to plan. This will give you more sovereignty over your mind and prevent it from drifting off into discursive thinking.
2. One mantra I use daily is “FRESH”. I recite this silently while taking a shower, brushing my teeth and putting on clean clothes. The whole point of this mantra is to help you get deeply in touch with the wondrous freshness that’s present in your daily life.
3. Anchor yourself with conscious breathing while appreciating your loved ones. Don’t focus on what you dislike about them, or be blinded by your expectations of them. Recognise them as unique individuals and appreciate them for who they are. This is a precious moment to be both alive and fully present. You might even begin to notice beautiful things about them that you have previously overlooked.
4. Take mindful breaks throughout the day to reconnect with yourself. A good suggestion is to take these breaks before heading to the pantry or restroom. Just sit back and take 10 mindful breaths. After that, head to the pantry or restroom with calm.
5. There are many things that don’t require you to rush. Write down three activities that you do daily that can be performed in a zen manner (e.g. walking up the stairs, opening the door, washing your hands). Set a mental note that there is no need to rush through them. Instead, slow down and enjoy the process by giving attention to the sensory details in those experiences.
Learn more about The Hermitage Zen on their website or Instagram.
