How Mindfulness Can Help Create EAse In the body
An Introduction to Mindfulness
My first introduction to mindfulness was through my father. He didn’t call it that, but he was always in tune with the rhythms of nature. He would point out when the underbrush was turning green in the spring or when the peepers could be heard. It was a full sensory experience in my childhood. The way the wild grapes smelled. The hayfield next door that offered a landing spot for red-winged black birds. The sights, sounds, felt sensations, smell, and the tastes of the delicious seasonal treats. These were the small moments in time when I remember truly being present: the sun baking down on me as I lay in prickly grass, our favorite music playing on a boom box in the open window, and the smell of that suntan lotion. These were the days before the internet, smartphones, and clearly before the widespread fear of skin cancer.
Why Mindfulness Works
The thing about the senses is that they can make you feel deeply present, or they can bring you right back to a moment in time. I remember how all that felt in my body, and I can easily access those feelings again just by tapping into these senses. Senses are not the only way to access mindfulness. The best definition of mindfulness that I have heard comes from Jon Kabat-Zinn: Mindfulness is paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.
So let’s check in with the inside of our bodies. Can you notice your breath? Where do you feel it? Maybe you feel the breeze in your nostrils, or maybe you feel your lungs or stomach expand. Don’t judge what comes up. Just notice. Paying attention to the breath as an anchor point, brings you into the present moment. It pulls you out of your ruminating and negative thoughts. It’s not about what we have to do, or an action to take, its about simply being.
Humans are thinkers. Our attention will drift. That’s normal. When it happens, we just come back to the breath, without judgment. The more we return to ourselves, the more we learn to trust that the present moment is the only thing we can truly control.
Mindfulness also helps protect us from the distractions of the world (something that has also changed since those backyard suntanning sessions). Back then, there was so much less to pull us away, fewer rabbit holes, fewer “what ifs”, less influence of other people’s lives on social media, and less horrific world news cycles bombarding us.
A few minutes of practice a day keeps the thoughts at bay
Can you take a few moments each day to pay attention to your breath or your five senses? Can you string these small moments together to create more clarity, peace, and harmony in your day? You’ll find me outside (probably in the woods) feeling, smelling, seeing, and hearing the world around me with my whole body. It’s how I truly pay attention and regulate my nervous system.
How Therapy Can Support You
At Align Therapy and Coaching, we incorporate mindfulness into our trauma, anxiety, and holistic therapy sessions. Whether you work with Jennifer, Meghan, or Angel, you’ll find a safe, supportive space to explore your thoughts and practice tools like mindfulness, breathwork, and somatic techniques. Our goal is to help you build skills that support lasting emotional well-being.
If you’d like to learn more or schedule an appointment, please reach out. We’d be honored to walk with you on your healing path.
Ready to feel more grounded?
Contact us today to begin your journey.
