Woosah sis! I know you’ve probably heard that before, usually in an instance where you needed a calming moment. But maybe you’re interested in deepening those “woosah” moments. Mindfulness meditation could be the exhale you need.
Meditation vs Mindfulness
Let’s talk meditation and mindfulness. If you are not familiar with these practices, here is a brief summary to give you some insight.
To put it simply, meditation is the awareness of “no-thing” and mindfulness is the awareness of “something”. It can also be looked at as the awareness of inner self versus the awareness of outer self, respectively. You can make either or both a part of your life with some practice.
Mindfulness is said to be a quality. Meditation in and of itself is a practice, and through this practice you can develop qualities or techniques, such as mindfulness. You can attain the mindful way of living through practice. Both are great additions to self care. And if 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we need consistent self care!
![mindfulness meditation](http://brownmamas.com/wp-content/uploads/mindfulness_meditation_brownmamas-1.png)
Mindful Characteristics
Some components of mindfulness include: intention, attention and attitude. What does that mean, you say? It means you should seek to develop these characteristics in order to be mindful.
- You want to be intentional in cultivating awareness (and consistently).
- Give attention to what is presently happening, how you feel, what are your thoughts and sensations.
- Have an attitude that is open, kind, curious yet non-judgemental.
When these characteristics already do not come second nature, that is where the practice really comes into play.
Ready to incorporate mindful meditation into your day? You can find some ideas previously shared here.
When speaking of meditation; it means to take charge of the mind, being in a resting state, refocusing your thoughts. You can meditate without mindfulness – clearing your mind, being still. And you can be mindful without meditation, doing such activities as cleaning, cooking and paying attention to people while they are speaking. But also, there is such a thing as Mindfulness Meditation. It is described as being the practice of slowing down racing thoughts, letting go of negativity and calming the body and mind. A basic way of performing this is sitting quietly, focusing on your natural breathing while being aware of your mind and body.
Health Benefits
With that being said, do you feel like you could benefit from incorporating meditation, mindfulness or even a combination of the two into your life? I’d implore you to read more on both practices and take charge of your mental health. There have been proven health benefits, such as mentioned here. Including but not limited to reducing stress, controlling anxiety, promoting emotional health, lengthening attention span, to name a few.
The Brown Mama Mindset
Ready to start your meditation and mindfulness journey now? The Brown Mama Mindset book, workbook, journal and Mind Check Deck are all designed to help you become a more soul-focused mama.
It’s not a book to tell you how to be a good mom, it’s a book to help you decide what type of woman you want to do and guide you toward taking the cognitive steps to become that woman. Check it out.