Who (or what) introduced you to mindfulness, and what was your first experience with it like?
Hey all,
So about 5 years ago now, I was in therapy for something and my counselor at the time introduced me to both mindfulness and meditation at the same time. In particular, he talked about guided meditations that are known for cultivating and enhancing mindfulness itself.
In this process, I learned that being mindful is so helpful because it's a skill that we can use to really attain a sense of balance and control (in terms of our reactions to internal and external stimuli). My very first experience with both of these things was actually through a guided meditation on YouTube, which I will share below. Please feel free to respond to this topic with your own experiences with mindfulness, and perhaps with the attached meditation, if you feel so inclined.
Hey, @sereneSunset26 Its great to know that you're enjoying your mindfulness journey. It does have lots of benefits indeed. I don't remember how I was drawn to meditation specifically. During my fifth grade, we had a 10-minute meditation with OM sound in the background. After that, I totally forgot them. And I picked it up again after I found myself stressed during my college days. I sometimes use YouTube or some app for meditating. I also enjoyed Journaling. Though I do them then and there, I am trying to do them consistently. Thank you for this post!
@hopezzy
I don't remember how I was drawn to meditation specifically. During my fifth grade, we had a 10-minute meditation with OM sound in the background. After that, I totally forgot them. And I picked it up again after I found myself stressed during my college days. I sometimes use YouTube or some app for meditating. I also enjoyed Journaling. Though I do them then and there, I am trying to do them consistently.
That's awesome that you got introduced to meditation as young as fifth grade!! When you do meditate these days, what are the benefits that you find with it? I assume the journaling in itself is a productive exercise for you in regards to decompression as well.
I believe my first 'introduction' to mindfulness and meditation concepts was when I participated in a few biofeedback sessions (both with and without machines) when I was in college. Before that I had certainly heard about meditation, but thought it was just for those 'hardcore' participants that wanted to reach a higher sense of self.
To be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of mindfulness and meditation because I felt that it focused too much on the self and can become easily distracting, or a way for you to just get away from your problems instead of working through them.
These days, I am convinced of the benefits of mindfulness and do like practicing it. Meditation is still iffy with me, though.
@cafedaydreams
I believe my first 'introduction' to mindfulness and meditation concepts was when I participated in a few biofeedback sessions (both with and without machines) when I was in college. Before that I had certainly heard about meditation, but thought it was just for those 'hardcore' participants that wanted to reach a higher sense of self.
That's awesome!! I actually had a past therapist that introduced me to the concept of biofeedback (unfortunately our appointments were remote and I never did it in-person). Just as an aside, how was your own experience with it, if you don't mind me asking?
To be honest, I wasn't the biggest fan of mindfulness and meditation because I felt that it focused too much on the self and can become easily distracting, or a way for you to just get away from your problems instead of working through them.
I feel like I can see where you're coming from in regards to mindfulness and meditation; it definitely involves a lot of self-reflection and self-introspection. However, at least in my experience, both of those helped to me transcend myself, as well as work through my problems. When I became introspective to that degree, I was able to identify the thoughts I was having, why I was having them, and why I was reacting to them in the way that I was. As we know, some thoughts can definitely be emotionally-fueled. And it's because the mindfulness and meditation allowed me to detach (ironically) from myself as well as the emotions that were attached to those thought processes.
As far as transcending myself goes, for as dramatic as I know that sounds, what I mean is that mindfulness/meditation allowed to experience what it was/is like to get out of my own head. To just have a moment of...existing. Without the constant stimulus of anything, really. Now obviously I can't afford to be in that kind of state 24/7 just per life, but that was my experience with both, for what it's worth.
These days, I am convinced of the benefits of mindfulness and do like practicing it. Meditation is still iffy with me, though.
I totally get that; I started with mindfulness first, myself.
