Mindfulness : Do we really need to sit and focus on our third eye?
Vrinda Goel · November 18 · 8 min read
Vrinda Goel · November 18 ·
8 min read
Mindfulness, a practice deeply rooted in ancient wisdom, is increasingly gaining popularity in today's modern chaos. All the videos we come across on Instagram or TikTok are about "mindfulness totally transformed my life! Just sit quietly for 30 minutes every morning and focus on your breathing, and BOOM - life changed! " But does it really work like that, or are we just sitting there and getting more frustrated because our mind keeps wandering to that embarrassing statement we made 4 weeks ago?
About 8 months back, I decided to dive into the world of mindfulness. And let me tell you, it's been nothing short of a life-altering rollercoaster 🎢! But, stick around to find out just how much it's rocked my world. 🌟
My mindfulness practice didn’t involve sitting cross-legged, trying to keep my mind blank, or staring into space imagining colors. Nope! Instead, I mixed things up with different techniques. One day, I’d play some classical music 🎶, another day, I’d put on nature sounds—like birds chirping🐦 or rain pouring🌧️— and just immerse myself in those soothing vibes.
Now, let me be real—it wasn’t easy at first. Focusing on anything for more than 30 seconds felt like an Olympic event for my brain! But, I kept showing up each day, determined to stick with it. Slowly but surely, my mind and body got used to the sounds, and, with a little conscious effort, I found myself being able to focus on the sounds without even realising it.
Let's talk about the circus 🎪 that was going on in my brain during those initial days when I was trying to focus on the sounds, but my thoughts were having a party of their own. Instead of trying to dismiss these thoughts, I decided to high-five them. I even faced those embarrassing moments from 4 weeks back, and guess what? They weren't as embarrassing as I thought! Who knew that embracing the chaos could lead to some calmness?
On a serious note, is mindfulness about sitting still and focusing on our third eye? Well, no. It is all about focusing on the present and acknowledging everything that comes into our brains while trying to do that. Recently, I heard an analogy about mindfulness. It went something like - if you decide to clean your attic room after 6 months of it being closed, you will have to start by dusting the room🧹 and taking off the first dust layer to be able to do a much deeper cleaning. That is what mindfulness is like. It is tackling the
initial layers to be able to reach a point where we are able to focus on what is in front of us.
Mindfulness, a practice deeply rooted in ancient wisdom, is increasingly gaining popularity in today's modern chaos. All the videos we come across on Instagram or TikTok are about "mindfulness totally transformed my life! Just sit quietly for 30 minutes every morning and focus on your breathing, and BOOM - life changed! " But does it really work like that, or are we just sitting there and getting more frustrated because our mind keeps wandering to that embarrassing statement we made 4 weeks ago?
About 8 months back, I decided to dive into the world of mindfulness. And let me tell you, it's been nothing short of a life-altering rollercoaster 🎢! But, stick around to find out just how much it's rocked my world. 🌟
My mindfulness practice didn’t involve sitting cross-legged, trying to keep my mind blank, or staring into space imagining colors. Nope! Instead, I mixed things up with different techniques. One day, I’d play some classical music 🎶, another day, I’d put on nature sounds—like birds chirping🐦 or rain pouring🌧️— and just immerse myself in those soothing vibes.
Now, let me be real—it wasn’t easy at first. Focusing on anything for more than 30 seconds felt like an Olympic event for my brain! But, I kept showing up each day, determined to stick with it. Slowly but surely, my mind and body got used to the sounds, and, with a little conscious effort, I found myself being able to focus on the sounds without even realising it.
Let's talk about the circus 🎪 that was going on in my brain during those initial days when I was trying to focus on the sounds, but my thoughts were having a party of their own. Instead of trying to dismiss these thoughts, I decided to high-five them. I even faced those embarrassing moments from 4 weeks back, and guess what? They weren't as embarrassing as I thought! Who knew that embracing the chaos could lead to some calmness?
On a serious note, is mindfulness about sitting still and focusing on our third eye? Well, no. It is all about focusing on the present and acknowledging everything that comes into our brains while trying to do that. Recently, I heard an analogy about mindfulness. It went something like - if you decide to clean your attic room after 6 months of it being closed, you will have to start by dusting the room🧹 and taking off the first dust layer to be able to do a much deeper cleaning. That is what mindfulness is like. It is tackling the initial layers to be able to reach a point where we are able to focus on what is in front of us.
Mindfulness, a practice deeply rooted in ancient wisdom, is increasingly gaining popularity in today's modern chaos. All the videos we come across on Instagram or TikTok are about "mindfulness totally transformed my life! Just sit quietly for 30 minutes every morning and focus on your breathing, and BOOM - life changed! "But does it really work like that, or are we just sitting there and getting more frustrated because our mind keeps wandering to that embarrassing statement we made 4 weeks ago?
About 8 months back, I decided to dive into the world of mindfulness. And let me tell you, it's been nothing short of a life-altering rollercoaster 🎢! But, stick around to find out just how much it's rocked my world. 🌟
My mindfulness practice didn’t involve sitting cross-legged, trying to keep my mind blank, or staring into space imagining colors. Nope! Instead, I mixed things up with different techniques. One day, I’d play some classical music 🎶, another day, I’d put on nature sounds—like birds chirping🐦 or rain pouring🌧️— and just immerse myself in those soothing vibes.
Now, let me be real—it wasn’t easy at first. Focusing on anything for more than 30 seconds felt like an Olympic event for my brain! But, I kept showing up each day, determined to stick with it. Slowly but surely, my mind and body got used to the sounds, and, with a little conscious effort, I found myself being able to focus on the sounds without even realising it.
Let's talk about the circus 🎪 that was going on in my brain during those initial days when I was trying to focus on the sounds, but my thoughts were having a party of their own. Instead of trying to dismiss these thoughts, I decided to high-five them. I even faced those embarrassing moments from 4 weeks back, and guess what? They weren't as embarrassing as I thought! Who knew that embracing the chaos could lead to some calmness?
On a serious note, is mindfulness about sitting still and focusing on our third eye? Well, no. It is all about focusing on the present and acknowledging everything that comes into our brains while trying to do that. Recently, I heard an analogy about mindfulness. It went something like - if you decide to clean your attic room after 6 months of it being closed, you will have to start by dusting the room🧹 and taking off the first dust layer to be able to do a much deeper cleaning. That is what mindfulness is like. It is tackling the initial layers to be able to reach a point where we are able to focus on what is in front of us.
So, mindfulness isn't about sitting still and closing our eyes, then what is it? Well, here is a list of things you can do to include mindfulness in your daily activities:
🌬️Focus on your breathing - you do not have to take deep breaths to do this. Simply become aware of how you are breathing.
🎶Listen to some slow music - try focusing on the tune or on the lyrics.
🌿Put on some nature sounds and immerse yourself in it - you could pair it up with visualisation.
🍃If you have access to nature and you feel comfortable in doing so, then spend at least 10 minutes in nature and try focusing on your 5 senses.
📝Empty your mind by journaling. If you prefer a structured journaling format, you may use that or just free-flowing journaling. Writing everything and anything that comes to your brain.
It is not an exhaustive list. The purpose of this blog was to demystify the idea of the standard meditation and mindfulness practices and simplify the reasoning and benefits of these activities. Once we understand the benefits, it is easier for us to adapt the practices to meet our needs and comfort levels.
So, mindfulness isn't about sitting still and closing our eyes, then what is it? Well, here is a list of things you can do to include mindfulness in your daily activities:
🌬️ Focus on your breathing - you do not have to take deep breaths to do this. Simply become aware of how you are breathing.
🎶 Listen to some slow music - try focusing on the tune or on the lyrics.
🌿 Put on some nature sounds and
immerse yourself in it - you could pair it up with visualisation.
🍃 If you have access to nature and you feel comfortable in doing so, then spend at least 10 minutes in nature and try focusing on your 5 senses.
📝 Empty your mind by journaling. If you prefer a structured journaling format, you may use that or just free-flowing journaling. Writing everything and anything that comes to your brain.
It is not an exhaustive list. The purpose of this blog was to demystify the idea of the standard meditation and mindfulness practices and simplify the reasoning and benefits of these activities. Once we understand the benefits, it is easier for us to adapt the practices to meet our needs and comfort levels.
So, mindfulness isn't about sitting still and closing our eyes, then what is it? Well, here is a list of things you can do to include mindfulness in your daily activities:
🌬️ Focus on your breathing - you do not have to take deep breaths to do this. Simply become aware of how you are breathing.
🎶 Listen to some slow music - try focusing on the tune or on the lyrics.
🌿 Put on some nature sounds and immerse yourself in it - you could pair it up with visualisation.
🍃 If you have access to nature and you feel comfortable in doing so, then spend at least 10 minutes in nature and try focusing on your 5 senses.
📝 Empty your mind by journaling. If you prefer a structured journaling format, you may use that or just free-flowing journaling. Writing everything and anything that comes to your brain.
It is not an exhaustive list. The purpose of this blog was to demystify the idea of the standard meditation and mindfulness practices and simplify the reasoning and benefits of these activities. Once we understand the benefits, it is easier for us to adapt the practices to meet our needs and comfort levels.
Copyright Healing Horizon 2024
Copyright Healing Horizon 2024