Mindfulness: Taking Time to reflect

I hope everyone is officially going into 2018 with style! I can't believe its already 2018! Wow, how 2017 flew by. But I always love an opportunity to start fresh and new! Which is why I felt a mindfulness series would be fitting for the month of January, we can all use some fresh tips to staying on track. When Selah dawned on me for my practice name, I felt it to be so fitting, and, yet, quite  counterintuitive to how I naturally go about life. My first sentence as a child was, "Amanda's busy." Selah in its purest form is connected to older literature which encourages the reader to pause and reflect. I don’t know about you, but for me, taking a moment to reflect, to take life in, and just be present is sincerely a challenge. When I allow myself to take in these moments to reflect or pause, to take a Selah moment, I experience  guilt or fear that I’m wasting precious moments by reflecting on something that already happened when instead, I could be looking forward, and taking in the zest-ness life has to offer me! This isn’t a bad thing, but it’s important to not negate the imperative skill of taking Selah moments so that we can really gulp in all the past and history has to teach us. For if we fail in this required task, we will continue to make the same mistakes, thus history will repeat itself.

Having these Selah moments is oh so imperative for our overall growth, our potential, and our self care. January has never been my favorite month. Yet, honestly, when i think of any month out of the year that defines the heart of Selah it would be January. Personally, I do not do cold well, and yes, I am a native of the state. I do not like bulky confining clothes, I get grumpy when I’m cold. Luckily, here in Colorado, its one of the better ski months, which makes it more bearable. January has little hype after all the festiveness of the holidays. January is the calm after the holidays, forcing you to just relax and wait .No obligations except to be present. January is a month that encourages a reset and hone in on goals, convictions and intentions.Today, i just want to open up a topic surrounding mindfulness and why this term is imperative to teach and instill within the newer generations as well. 

Mindfulness has been around for centuries, and embraced in various cultures and religions. The term mindfulness as I will talk about it in these blog series implies a mental state of being which is achieved through focusing one’s awareness on the present moment. It is, simply put, paying attention to what is going on around you, who others are, who God is, and who you are in this world. It is not per say, an emptying of thoughts, but rather a practice that can be used in harmony with one’s relationship with Jesus if they so choose. This state of being allows for feelings, emotions, bodily sensations and thoughts to really sink in, and be brought to awareness. It forces us to sit with our convictions, allowing humbleness, revelation, and generosity to sink in. Many therapists use Mindfulness strategies to help with depression, anxiety, trauma, past family issues, and phobias. Taking in these moments to pause and reflect really allow us to embrace our future all the more, with a clean slate! Jesus would sneak away to practice mindfulness ALL THE TIME. In fact, often times, it was all he used to help him cling to his Father in the most lonely and desperate of times. He really had no other choice with all that ran up against him.

As we embrace this new year, and all it has in store, may you find and embrace this art just a little bit more. Get curious about it, as I can guarantee you, whatever your faith, your background, or religion, it can truly help you find the ability to persevere and overcome! Next week, I will be talking about how this practice is important and very practical to teach our kids and teens! May this series help children, parents, the single, the married, the broken, and the wealthy alike to find a better more focused way to live out their day to day life.