Dear LPG,

I have a friend who never ever seems to be upset, angered or phased by anything, no matter what life throws at him.   Recently, while we were talking about what sort of person each of us saw when we really thought about the personality of the other, I mentioned that I saw this special, peaceful quality in him.

He told me about a particular sort of meditation that he practised and that he has written a little about his take on it.  We are both pensioners but I have to say that I believe that everyone should have a goal and my latest one is to be a little more like him. 

I would like to share his thoughts…

Mindfulness is good for us too

Have you ever heard about mindfulness? It is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment and accepting it without judgement. The point is to pay attention to your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations calmly and accept them. As you can imagine, it is a sort of meditation that can be practiced by people of all ages. And like meditation, it has some benefits too.

Mindfulness is often referred to as a useful tool for people at working age, as it has been proven to ease stress or anxiety. However, it can be very good for the elderly as well. The interrelation of mind and body is at the core of this practice, and, because the elderly are more likely to experience physical health issues with associated psychological problems, this method can be especially useful for us; but how exactly?

Because mindfulness focuses on abilities rather than difficulties, it can help us to feel more engaged in decisions about our care. Some studies have also suggested that it can be good for people with dementia, a prevalent mental issue for older people.

Although we can join mindfulness therapy groups, we can also practice it informally at home. How?

First bring your attention to the sensations in your body. Breathe in through your nose, allowing the air downward into your lower belly and let your abdomen expand. Now breathe out through your mouth. You have to notice all the different sensations of each inhalation and exhalation: the amount of air or its temperature is some examples. Pay attention to each sight, touch, and sound. And don’t worry if your mind wanders, just gently bring your attention back to the sensations of the moment.

But if you need some guidance, you can easily find mindfulness classes and, of course, a lot of free online resources.

My friend makes it all seem so easy but he did mention that there was a challenging aspect to getting it right.  So I got on line and found an introduction or two for those who are searching for their inner peace.

OC, Lee

OC found some information that might help to make this concept easier to understand for beginners…

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LPG also did a little research and found some videos that might help…

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We also found this one for anyone wanting to actually start their mindful meditation but we will warn you that you will have to have about three hours to spare to do it justice…   

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