Awareness of how to find harmony. Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world - review - Psychology of effective life - online magazine. Our restless mind

A crazy world with a crazy speed and rhythm of life... The work process has become the "master of the destinies" of most of humanity, who manage to simultaneously perform dozens of operations even during lunch: eat, watch the news, sit in the social. networks, talking on the phone, etc. Not surprisingly, the 21st century is “famous” for increased depression…

What is most surprising is that simultaneously performed cases occur on an absolute "automatic". Depression, obesity, "mountains" of unfinished business, health problems, broken relationships with family and loved ones - all these are the consequences of our unconscious life.

I am one of those who teach to the state of "autopilot" ... But there is one very important "BUT" ... This skill should work as long as it is needed. Unfortunately, most of them "flash" even when it is not necessary, thereby loading our "central processor". In order to realize this, it is enough to observe the performance of your computer, on which dozens of programs and “windows” are running ...

How to find harmony in this crazy world…?! In addition to the usual methods: sports, sleep, healthy food, good rest, etc. there is another one, meditation. I confess to you honestly, I am a beginner in this area, but what I have already managed to experience is worthy of making meditation a daily practice.

For a long time I beat around the bush about this topic, and decided to try it only thanks to the book Mark Williams and Danny Penman. The eight-week program proposed by the authors will help you master the skill of conscious meditation, even if you have not experienced it before.

If this is such a “magic” activity that helps, why are so few people practicing it…?! There can be many reasons, but one of them is a misunderstanding of the process of meditation as such. In most of humanity, this occupation is associated with religion and the loss of the ability to confront the "cruel" reality. Not at all… Meditation is a method of mental training that can be carried out wherever it is convenient and spend only 20 to 30 minutes a day on it. What will meditation give you...?!:

You look at the world more clearly and more clearly;
You will be able to make wiser and more informed decisions, learn to change what needs to be changed;
Find the best way to discover your own values.

Conducting the “Minute Meditation” for the first time, I was amazed by what I saw: thoughts flew in my head like a meteor shower. What is most interesting, most of them are “fragments” of situations (real or fictional) from the past, which have nothing to do with the present, but greatly influence what we do or don’t do, decide or not, achieve or we procrastinate, we move towards success or we fly down with a bang. Meditation makes it possible to realize that thoughts and feelings, including negative ones, are impermanent and only you can choose whether to succumb to their influence or not!!!

I will be able to draw final conclusions about the impact of meditation on the fullness and fullness of life only when I practice hard and adhere to the methodology for (at least) eight weeks, but for now, I want to focus your attention on those issues (except meditation) that are revealed in book “Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world:

How to become happy and learn to stop the flow of emotions and thoughts, while maintaining focus on what is happening "here and now";
Why do your attempts to get rid of unpleasant feelings end badly;
How to get out of emotional exhaustion and;
Just do away with unfinished business once and for all;
How to beat and prevent depression;
How to increase;

Wisdom says: “The hardest exercise in yoga is to get the mat (take the first step)!!!” It is up to you to decide whether to make your life more conscious and learn to live in the present or build it on fear and the "wreckage" of past disappointments. For me personally, it will be very interesting to see the changes that will happen in the near future thanks to the practice of meditation!!! Well, if you have a desire to try, join us!!! Book “Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world will become your faithful assistant on the way to the "new you"!!!

Thank you for your precious time spent in my company!!!
Let the increase in sales give you pleasure ...
Sincerely, Andrey Zhulay.

Danny Penman, Mark Williams

Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world

MARK WILLIAMS, DANNY PENMAN

MINDFULNESS

A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world

Scientific editor Nadezhda Nikolskaya

Published with permission from Dr Danny Penman and Professor J. M. G. Williams c/o Curtis Brown Group Limited and Van Lear

Foreword by Jon Kaabt-Zinn, 2011

This edition is published by arrangement with Curtis Brown UK and The Van Lear Agency LLC.

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Legal support of the publishing house is provided by the law firm "Vegas-Lex"

This book is well complemented by:

How to stay calm and efficient in any situation

How to get rid of stress, internal conflicts and bad habits

Tal Ben Shahar

Foreword

The whole world is talking about the practice of mindfulness lately. And this is wonderful, because right now we are especially lacking in some subtle but important element of our lives. Sometimes we begin to suspect that we are missing ourselves - our willingness or ability to be present in our own life and live it as if it really means something, in the only moment that we will ever have, that is, here and there. now—and that we are worthy and able to live our lives that way. This is a very bold and extremely important thought, and it could change the world. At the very least, it will change the lives of those who decide to take a step in this direction and help these people appreciate and feel the fullness of life.

At the same time, a conscious approach to life is not just another good idea: “That's right, now I will live more consciously, judge people less, and everything will change for the better. Why didn't I think of this before?" Unfortunately, such ideas are fleeting and almost never stay long in our minds. And while it’s good to be more mindful of your actions and less judgmental of others, this idea alone won’t get you far. Moreover, such thoughts can make you feel more inadequate or powerless. The practice of mindfulness requires the direct participation of those who want to achieve some benefits with it, only then will it be effective. In other words, mindfulness is really a practice, and this is the opinion of Mark Williams and Danny Penman. It's not just the right idea, a smart technique, or a new fad, it's a way of life. In fact, this practice is several thousand years old, and is often called the heart of Buddhist meditation, although its essence boils down to mindfulness and awareness and is therefore universal.

The practice of mindfulness has a huge impact on our health, well-being, and happiness, and this book presents the scientific and medical evidence for this in a very accessible way. Because mindfulness is a practice and not just an abstract idea, cultivating it is a process that deepens over time. In starting the practice, one must first of all make a commitment to oneself, which will require perseverance and discipline, but at the same time flexibility and lightness are necessary, in other words, the manifestation of kindness and compassion for oneself. It is ease, combined with unwavering and sincere involvement, that distinguishes awareness training and further practice in all its diversity.

In addition, it is important to have good mentors in this business, since the stakes are quite high. Ultimately, it's about the quality of your life and relationships with others and the world you live in, not to mention your well-being, mental state, happiness, and involvement in your own life. Therefore, if you trust experienced specialists - Mark Williams and Danny Penman - and take advantage of their recommendations and program, you can be sure that you are in good hands. Their program sets out a clear structure—architecture, if you will—within which you can observe your own body, mind, and life, as well as a proven, systematic approach to dealing with any situation that arises. The architecture of this program is based solely on the facts and techniques of stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which are combined into a coherent, compelling and common sense eight-week course. It can be used by anyone who values their own health and peace of mind, especially in our ever-accelerating or, according to the authors, crazy world. I especially like their simple yet radical suggestions for breaking old habits called pattern breaks. They are designed to identify and neutralize the thought processes and behaviors that we most often do not suspect, but they drive us into a narrow framework, making it impossible to live a full life. Starting the practice, you put yourself in the hands of not only the authors, but also yourself, and this is perhaps the most important thing. You make a promise to yourself to follow their recommendations, formal and informal routines, and pattern-breaking exercises. With their help, you will understand what happens when you focus and show kindness and compassion to yourself and others, even if at first it seems not entirely natural. Such a promise is a manifestation of self-confidence and faith in oneself. Combined with the program described in this book, this can be a chance to “befriend” your own life and live it to the fullest, minute by minute, day by day.

MARK WILLIAMS, DANNY PENMAN

MINDFULNESS

A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world

Scientific editor Nadezhda Nikolskaya

Published with permission from Dr Danny Penman and Professor J. M. G. Williams c/o Curtis Brown Group Limited and Van Lear

Foreword by Jon Kaabt-Zinn, 2011

This edition is published by arrangement with Curtis Brown UK and The Van Lear Agency LLC.

Legal support of the publishing house is provided by the law firm "Vegas-Lex"

This book is well complemented by:

How to stay calm and efficient in any situation

Sharon Melnick

How to get rid of stress, internal conflicts and bad habits

Neil Fiore

Tal Ben Shahar

Foreword

Mark Williams has been a colleague, collaborator, and friend of mine for many years. He is one of the largest researchers in the field of mindfulness practice all over the world, he stood at the origins of this direction and did a lot to popularize it. Like John Tisdale and Zindel Segal, he is one of the founders of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which, according to many studies, can have a huge impact on the lives of people suffering from clinical depression, significantly reducing the risk of relapse. In addition, Mark is the founder of the Center for Mindfulness Research and Practice at Bangor University (North Wales) and the Oxford Center for the Study of Mindfulness. Both centers conduct leading research and clinical training based on mindfulness practices.

The book by Mark Williams and journalist Danny Penman is a practical guide to mindfulness and its cultivation. I hope you will greatly benefit from participating in this program and learn how to develop a wiser relationship with your own "free and precious life."

John Kabat-Zinn

Boston, Massachusetts

December 2010

Like a squirrel in a wheel

Think about the last time you lay in bed trying to control your thoughts. You wanted your mind to calm down, calm down, and you could finally fall asleep. But no matter what you tried, nothing helped. Every time you forced yourself not to think about anything, thoughts rushed in with renewed vigor. You told yourself to calm down, but suddenly there were endless things to worry about. You tried to fluff up the pillow and get comfortable, but the thoughts kept coming back. Time passed, your strength left you, and you felt vulnerable and broken.

Have you ever taken a raisin, observing its fine wrinkles and deep rich colors, before putting it in your mouth? Feeling a surge of flavor and unique texture? Chewed with awareness by swallowing small pieces, focusing on how they pass down the esophagus?

A few weeks ago, inspired by an exercise in the book, I experienced this - the raisin meditation. Until then, the norm was to quickly pop a handful of raisins into your mouth and chew unceremoniously, tasting the overall sweetness while your mind juggled thoughts of bills due, customer contracts, a project deadline on the horizon, and typing on a keyboard. .

Do you want to get rid of the chaos and mess in your head? Then the book is for you.

The book leads chapter by chapter through the 8-week program, covering the various levels of meditation practice. It offers practical ways to slow down and achieve calmness in the midst of chaos.

In the end, your mind can calm down and become smooth, like a mirrored surface of a lake. Look, feel, let me lead you by the hand. Let life through you.
- Quote from the book

The focus is on meditation based mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. It is attentive observation of oneself, without criticism or indifference, being compassionate and unflappable.

Read the structure of Mark Williams and Danny Penman's Mindfulness

The book is divided into 12 chapters.

Chapter 1. Contains an overview of the book.

Chapters 2-3. In these chapters, we learn how emotions affect thoughts and behavior. What harmful patterns can be present in our lives and how awareness of the work of the mind makes obvious the causes of suffering, bouts of unhappiness, stress and irritability. How to do work on mistakes, reprogram the mind for new ones, or “cure” old patterns of thinking and behavior.

Chapter 4 Week after week gives a summary of the 8-week program developed by the authors.

Chapters 5-12. Travel through an 8 week program. One week, one chapter. Analysis of practical exercises and the opportunity to practice at each stage, choosing your own rhythm.

The book does not exaggerate, stating that it can change the attitude towards life. Easy to read and easy to follow, so easy to read that you start to wonder why I didn't do this sooner.

Meditation is supportive, encourages the development of a sense of self-friendliness. Many of us have high expectations of ourselves and fall into despair when we find that things are not as easy as we would like them to be. Awareness prompts you to accept yourself in the current moment, as a good friend who worries and supports in difficult times.

Summary of Mark Williams and Danny Penman's Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a continuous process. The book awakens and points out the ways to achieve this state.

The key idea is that when we are aware of what we are doing, feeling and experiencing at a particular moment, we find harmony, and this feeling leads to peace and satisfaction under any circumstances, and meditation is a means to achieve this goal.

Read the book by Mark Williams and Danny Penman Mindfulness. How to find harmony in our crazy world? How is she to you? Share your opinion in the comments below.

MARK WILLIAMS, DANNY PENMAN

MINDFULNESS

A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world

Scientific editor Nadezhda Nikolskaya

Published with permission from Dr Danny Penman and Professor J. M. G. Williams c/o Curtis Brown Group Limited and Van Lear

Foreword by Jon Kaabt-Zinn, 2011

This edition is published by arrangement with Curtis Brown UK and The Van Lear Agency LLC.

Legal support of the publishing house is provided by the law firm "Vegas-Lex"

* * *

This book is well complemented by:

How to stay calm and efficient in any situation

How to get rid of stress, internal conflicts and bad habits

Tal Ben Shahar

Foreword

John Kabat-Zinn
Boston, Massachusetts
December 2010

Chapter 1
Like a squirrel in a wheel

By the time the alarm clock rang, you were in a disgusting mood, completely exhausted and completely depressed. But then the whole day you were tormented by the opposite problem: you had to be awake, and you were yawning. You somehow got to work, but your thoughts were somewhere far away and you couldn’t concentrate. Added to this were red swollen eyes, an aching body and an empty head. You stared long and hard at the pile of papers on the table, hoping somehow - whatever - to swing and get to work. At meetings, you struggled to stay awake - there was no question of participating in the discussion, saying something smart. It began to seem to you that life began to slip through your fingers ... You were seized by anxiety, tension, fatigue.

This book is just about how to find harmony and satisfaction in the crazy world in which we live. Or rather, how to rediscover them for yourself, because the sources of harmony and satisfaction are always with us deep inside, no matter how helpless and frustrated we feel. They are just waiting to be released from the cage that our crazy and merciless lifestyle has driven them into.

We know this for sure because we have been studying anxiety, stress and depression for over 30 years with colleagues at Oxford University and other research centers around the world. Through experimentation, we have uncovered the secret to long-term happiness and learned how to successfully manage anxiety, stress, low energy, and even severe depression. It is the kind of happiness and harmony that pervades us, giving rise to a deep and true love for life, pervading everything we do, and helping us deal more effectively with the biggest challenges life can throw at us.

This secret was well understood in antiquity, and in some cultures it has survived to this day. However, we in the Western world have almost forgotten how to live a full and happy life. And sometimes even worse - we try our best to be happy, but at the same time we miss the most important thing in life and destroy the very harmony that we are looking for. We have written this book to help readers understand where to find true happiness, peace, contentment, and how to rediscover them. This book will help you gradually get rid of anxiety, stress, fatigue and depression. At the same time, we do not promise eternal bliss - from time to time we all experience pain and suffering, and it would be naive and even dangerous to deny this. However, an alternative to the merciless everyday struggle, which our life often turns into, still exists.

On the pages of this book you will find simple practices that you can implement in your life. They are based on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which in turn is based on the impressive research of John Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. The MBCT program was originally developed by Professor Mark Williams (one of the authors of this book), John Tisdale at Cambridge, and Zindel Segal at the University of Toronto.

It was designed to help people who have experienced bouts of depression several times to overcome this disease. Clinical studies have proven the effectiveness of this approach and halving the risk of depression in those who suffer from the most severe form of it.

It is so effective that it is recognized as one of the preferred treatments recommended by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Its effectiveness is no less than that of antidepressants, but it does not have any side effects.

The MBCT technique is based on meditation, which until recently was not well known in the West. Mindfulness meditation is so simple that with its help each of us can discover the joy of life in ourselves. It is not only useful in itself, but also helps prevent situations when normal feelings of anxiety, fatigue and sadness develop into prolonged bouts of depression, mental exhaustion, or even serious clinical depression.

Minute Meditation
1. Sit on a chair, straighten up. If possible, move away from the back of the chair so that the spine does not rest on anything. Place your feet on the floor, close your eyes or look down.

2. Concentrate on the movement of the inhaled and exhaled air. Listen to the sensations that arise with each inhalation and exhalation. Watch your breath, but don't expect anything special. No need to regulate or adjust breathing.

3. Perhaps after a while you will notice that you are distracted. Once you find this, don't beat yourself up and try to focus on your breathing again. The ability to notice the distraction of attention and again focus on breathing without criticizing yourself is considered the most important component of mindful meditation.

4. In the end, your mind may calm down and become smooth, like a mirror surface of a lake, but it may not. Even if you manage to catch a feeling of absolute peace, it may be fleeting. However, anger and irritation can disappear just as quickly. Whatever happens, just take it for granted.

5. After a minute, open your eyes and look around.

The essence of traditional meditation is to fully concentrate on breathing and follow the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation (see recommendations for a minute meditation above). Concentration on the breath allows you to observe thoughts as they arise and gradually stop fighting them. At some point you become aware that thoughts come and go on their own and that you is not the same as your thoughts. You will feel how they appear in your head, seemingly from nowhere, and disappear like a bursting soap bubble. This is how you come to the realization that thoughts and feelings (including negative ones) are impermanent and you ultimately have the choice to be influenced or not.

Mindfulness helps to observe oneself, but without criticism, but with sympathy. You will learn not to take sadness and stress to heart, but to look at them with sincere curiosity, as if they are black clouds floating across the sky. In essence, mindfulness allows you to stop the flow of negative thoughts before they drag you into the maelstrom of negative emotions, and regain control over your own life.

Continuous practice of mindfulness improves mood, well-being and makes us happier in the long run. According to scientific studies, it not only prevents depression, but also positively affects the patterns of brain activity that cause anxiety, nervous tension, depression and irritability - with its help, these conditions resolve faster.

Other experiments confirm that people who meditate regularly are less likely to seek medical attention and spend less time in the hospital. In addition, their memory improves, creativity develops, and reaction time is reduced. (Below, we will discuss the benefits of mindfulness meditation, backed up by scientific research and the experience of those who have already started the practice.)

Benefits of Mindful Meditation
Numerous psychological studies have shown that people who practice meditation regularly are, on average, happier and more satisfied with their lives. And these results are not just important in themselves - they are of great importance for medicine, because positive emotions are the key to a longer and healthier life.

Regular meditation helps reduce irritability, anxiety, and depression. They also improve memory, reaction speed and increase psychological and physical endurance.

People who meditate regularly are more satisfied with their relationship with a partner.

Studies from around the world show that meditation reduces key indicators of chronic stress, including high blood pressure.

Meditation helps to cope with serious diseases such as chronic pain and cancer, and even reduce alcohol and drug addiction.

According to research, meditation strengthens the immune system and thus helps prevent colds, flu and other illnesses.

In spite of proven benefits, many are still wary of the word "meditation". Therefore, before continuing, it would be useful to dispel some of the myths associated with meditation.

“Meditation is not a religion. Mindfulness meditation is simply a method of mental training. Many of those who practice meditation have religious views, but among the adherents of meditation there are many atheists and agnostics.

- Sitting in the lotus position (as is often shown in the press and on TV) is not at all necessary, but if you want, you can. In our meditation classes, most people sit in chairs, but you can practice mindfulness meditation anywhere—on the bus, on the train, or on your way to work. You can meditate almost anywhere.

“The practice of mindfulness does not take much time, but it does require some patience and perseverance. Many soon notice that meditation frees them from the tyranny of time and they have more opportunities to do other things.

Meditation is not difficult. The terms "success" and "failure" are hardly applicable to it. Even when meditation is hard, we still learn something valuable about the workings of our mind, and this is an important psychological advantage.

“Meditation will not dull your mind or prevent you from achieving important career and life goals, nor will it make you an incorrigible optimist.

Meditation does not call for accepting the unacceptable, but helps to see the world more clearly and clearly in order to take wiser and more balanced actions and change what needs to be changed. Meditation helps you cultivate a deep awareness and compassion that allows you to evaluate your own goals and find the best path to realizing your own values.

How to find harmony in our crazy world

If you are holding this book in your hands, you probably often wonder why the desired harmony and happiness often slip away like sand through your fingers. Why does most of your life pass under the sign of excessive workload, anxiety, nervous tension and moral exhaustion? We, too, have pondered these questions for many years, and it seems that science has finally found the answers to them. Ironically, the principles underlying these answers were well known in the ancient world—these are timeless truths.

Our mood changes quite quickly, and that's okay. However, due to certain stereotypes of thinking, a short decline in energy or an emotional surge can result in a long period of anxiety, stress, fatigue and depression. A moment of sadness, anger or anxiety can set off a bad mood that will poison the whole day, or maybe more than one or two. Recent scientific discoveries clearly demonstrate how normal mood swings can lead to prolonged episodes of acute anxiety, melancholy, or even depression. Most importantly, however, these studies have identified a way to become a happier and more focused person by proving the following:

- when you feel sad, anxious or irritated, the main damage is not your mood, but how you react to it;

- trying to get rid of a bad mood or a depressed state - or figure out why you feel bad and how you can fix it - often only aggravates the situation; it's like quicksand: the harder you try to get out, the deeper you sink.

Having comprehended the principles of the brain, we immediately understand why from time to time we are overcome by melancholy, nervous tension and irritability.

When we feel bad, we naturally try to find out the cause of our unhappiness and eliminate it. However, in the process, regrets about the past and worries about the future can surface, and this makes us feel even worse, and then we begin to beat ourselves up for not being able to cheer up. The inner critic that lives in each of us begins to whisper that this is all our fault, that we need to try harder, no matter what. Soon we feel like we are separating ourselves from the deepest and wisest part of our personality. We get lost in an endless string of reproaches and accusations against ourselves for not meeting our own ideals and for not being the way we want to see ourselves.

We are pulled into this emotional whirlpool because the state of mind is closely linked to memory, and the brain is constantly going through memories in search of those that reflect the emotional state of the current moment. For example, if you feel threatened, the brain immediately searches for moments in the past when you were afraid so that you can see the similarities of situations and be able to escape. It happens in a split second and almost unconsciously. Meanwhile, this is a basic survival skill that has been honed over millions of years of evolution, which is why it is so powerful and it is almost impossible to stop it.

The same happens with feelings of longing, anxiety and emotional tension. It's not unusual for us to feel sad from time to time, but sometimes a few sad thoughts can trigger a flurry of bad memories, negative emotions, and harsh judgments. Because of this, several hours or even days can be spoiled by negative and self-critical thoughts: “What is wrong with me? I have no life, but complete chaos. What will happen when everyone realizes how worthless I really am?

This self-flagellation is incredibly powerful, and when it gains momentum, it is almost impossible to fight it. One thought triggers the next, one feeling follows another, and so on… And soon the very first thought – no matter how fleeting it was – leads to even sadder thoughts, worries and fears, and you are sucked into the maelstrom of your own grief.

By and large, there is nothing surprising in this, because the environment has a huge impact on our memory. A few years ago, psychologists found that if deep-sea divers were asked to memorize a list of words while they were still on land, they would most likely forget those words underwater, and then, after rising, remember them again. And vice versa: words that were remembered under water were more easily forgotten on land. Thus the sea and the land turn out to be powerful contexts for memory.

Similar processes also take place in our minds. Have you ever visited the place where you went to rest as a child? Most likely, before you came back to this place, you had only vague memories of it, but as you walked the streets, looked around, smelled and listened to sounds, the memories began to return. Perhaps you were seized by a pleasant excitement, a slight melancholy or falling in love. Returning to the environment of the past evoked memories associated with this place. However, not only certain places can trigger memories. The world is full of such impulses. Have you ever heard a song associated with strong emotions and memories, smelled flowers or freshly baked bread?

Our mood can also serve as an internal context and be as strong a stimulus as visiting a memorable place or a favorite song. A brief flash of sadness, irritation, or anxiety can trigger unpleasant memories, whether we like it or not, and very soon dark thoughts and negative emotions take over. Often we do not even understand where they came from - it seems that they appeared out of nowhere. We can only guess: Why am I in a bad mood?" or " Why am I so sad and tired today?»

We cannot stop the sad memories, self-criticism and disapproval, but it is in our power to prevent what follows - to stop the spiral that unwinds itself and causes the next cycle of negative thoughts. You can block the flow of destructive emotions that cause melancholy, anxiety, stress, irritability or fatigue.

Mindfulness meditation teaches you to recognize memories and self-destructive thoughts as they arise. And remember that these are just memories. They can be compared to propaganda because they are not real. They are not you. However, you can learn to watch bad thoughts: see them arise, give them some time, and then find them dissolve on their own. And at that moment, the incredible can happen: the void left by them will be filled with a deep sense of happiness and peace.

Mindful meditation helps to achieve this by using an alternative way for our consciousness to interact with the world. Most of us are only familiar with the analytical side of consciousness, which thinks, judges, plans, and goes through memories in search of solutions. But our consciousness also aware. We are not just think about something, but also aware of what we think. We don't even need language as an intermediary between us and the world - we can experience it directly through our senses. We can directly feel the singing of birds, the smell of beautiful flowers and the smile of a loved one. We are aware not only with the head, but also with the heart. Our conscious experience is not limited to the thought process, and our consciousness is much larger and broader than thoughts.

Meditation clears the mind and allows you to see things consciously and more openly. Meditation is a place, a kind of observation point from which we can see how our thoughts and feelings appear. It frees us from the habit of pulling an imaginary trigger and instantly reacting to what is happening. Our inner self, truly happy and harmonious, is no longer drowned in the noise that our brain creates when solving endless problems.

Mindfulness meditation helps us treat ourselves with respect. about more patience and compassion and to cultivate receptivity and gentle perseverance. These qualities help to free ourselves from the gravitational field of anxiety, stress and longing, once again reminding us of what science has proven: sadness and other emotions can and should be stopped as problems that need to be solved, and we should not regret that we “do not managed to solve them. In fact, not solving these problems is most often the smartest way out, because the ways we are used to solving often only exacerbate these problems.

However, mindfulness does not negate the natural desire of the mind to solve problems - it simply gives us the time and place to choose. the best way to solve them. Some problems require an emotional approach, and we choose the solution that seems the most correct. Others need a logical approach, while others require an intuitive, creative approach. And there are some problems that are better left untouched.

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Awareness of how to find harmony. Awareness. How to find harmony in our crazy world - review - Psychology of effective life - online magazine. Our restless mind

Read the structure of Mark Williams and Danny Penman's Mindfulness

Summary of Mark Williams and Danny Penman's Mindfulness

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This book is well complemented by:

Foreword

Chapter 1 Like a squirrel in a wheel

Minute Meditation

Benefits of Mindful Meditation

How to find harmony in our crazy world

Chapter 1
Like a squirrel in a wheel