In the moment

Mindfulness and Meditation

The two concepts can be confusing but don’t be scared; it’s not like yoga and Crossfit, you don’t have to choose one or the other. They are essentially the same thing.  Meditation is the action, the process of practising mindfulness. It’s the time you gift yourself to set aside to work on it. This may be just a few minutes a day, or for those seeking greater immersion and motivation booking a retreat, such as Polynesian Spa’s Mindful Moments Retreat (Saturday August 27 Sunday August 28), can be an incredibly empowering approach to kick start your journey to mindfulness.

The Retreat includes a walk in Rotorua’s majestic Redwood Forest, mindfulness, aromatherapy and clean eating workshops, soaking in mineral hot pools, a luxury spa therapy, yoga, colouring in and much more.

What is Mindfulness?

Contrary to common belief, mindfulness isn’t about emptying ones minds, with thoughts being regarded as toxic as cigarettes, it’s about having peace with those thoughts that do arise and observing them without judgement; practising detachment. Mindfulness is, at its essence, the art of living in the “now”. Dr Danny Penman, author of the bestselling Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World describes it as “observation without criticism; being compassionate with yourself”. He explains, “When unhappiness or stress hover overhead ... you learn to treat them as if they were black clouds in the sky, and to observe them with friendly curiosity as they drift past.” We should be concerned about living in the present, explains mindfulness expert and Oprah favourite Jon Kabat-Zinn because “we’re only alive in this moment. The future hasn’t happened and the past is over.” He asks us to think about where our minds are at most of the time. “They’re obsessing about the past or worrying about the future.”

Why Should I be Mindful?

Today’s world is increasingly distracting. We’re bombarded by advertising, able to search an answer on the internet in 0.3 seconds without sitting in studied contemplation and constantly switched on via email and various social media platforms. The art of mindfulness enables us the gift to stop “doing” and start “being”.

The NZ Mental Health Foundation has undertaken research showing mindfulness increases calmness, improves focus and attention, reduces stress and helps with conflict resolution. Studies have also been conducted worldwide that show a positive correlation between mindfulness and healthy immune function.

How to be Mindful

There’s really no excuse not to gift yourself a little time each day to practise mindfulness/meditate. It’s free, it only takes a few minutes, there’s no right or wrong answers, no championship to train for or peers to judge you, and once you get used to tapping into the part of your being that allows you to be fully present your ability to use it in stressful situations, or fully commit to glorious ones, will be greatly increased.

• Start with just five minutes a day.

• Do it at the same time every day and make it nonnegotiable. Set a recurring reminder on your phone if necessary.

• Set the timer on your phone for five minutes at first.  Move up to seven minutes, then 10 minutes as able.

• Sit comfortably somewhere. There are no rules, you don’t need to sit in lotus on a yoga mat with your hands in prayer position. You may even prefer to lie down.

• Make sure you can’t be disturbed. That your phone is on flight mode (don’t worry, the timer will still sound), your landline is off the hook, that the kids are in bed.

Suggested Mindfulness Exercises

• Diaphragmatic breathing is a wonderful tool and something wellbeing advocate Dr Libby is a huge proponent of. As she explains, “it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which allows our bodies to go into rest and repair mode”. To practise diaphragmatic breathing, inhale through the nose and feel your stomach expand. Contract your stomach as you exhale. It may be helpful to place a hand on your stomach while you get the hang of the motion.

• Counted breathwork; breathe in for one second and out for one second. Breathe in for two seconds and out for two seconds. Continue up to 10 seconds, or for as long as you feel comfortable, before working your way back down to

one. Repeat.

• Imagine your mind is the most beautiful pool of crystal clear water, completely still. As thoughts come into your head imagine they are pebbles, creating ripples in the water.  Try and avoid boulders and big splashes.

• Imagine yourself on a travelator or staircase, heading downhill towards a paradise of your choosing. If thoughts pop into your head, simply note them and put them in a rubbish sack carried over your shoulder. There will be bins deposited at several points alongside the travelator to drop your thoughts into. If your paradise is a beach, you may hear waves and seagulls, and feel the sun on your arms. If it’s a forest you may hear birds, wind, smell a coolness in the air.

MINDFUL MOMENTS RETREAT

Join Motivate Me NZ’s Makaia Carr and Polynesian Spa retreat manager Helena Keenan on August 27-28 for a weekend of meditation and mindfulness workshops, walks, yoga, treatments and more. To register visit polynesianspa.co.nz/mindful-moments-retreat