By Rebecca Rondone, Owner of Pura Vida Yoga & Physical Training
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an approach to psychotherapy that was originally created as a relapse-prevention treatment for types of depression. We know now that anyone is capable of this beautiful practice and the benefits. Mindfulness focuses on becoming aware of all incoming thoughts and feelings, accept-ing them without judgment, and not attaching or reacting to them. Anyone can do mindfulness practice. There are no barriers. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what your physical ability are. Mindfulness can help us put some space between ourselves and our reactions, break-ing down our conditioned responses for the better.
How to Start:
Find yourself a comfortable place and sit where you can focus and will not be disturbed. Take a deep breath. Bring aware-ness to sounds coming and going, and let them be whatever they are. Close your eyes or take a soft internal gaze. Now focus on your breath. Bring your whole awareness to the sensation of your breathing. Sense the cool air entering and the warm air exiting. Feel both the rise and fall of the chest, and the belly expand and contract. It’s normal for the mind to wander. Open your whole consciousness to the simple process of breathing.
Next, bring your attention to the presence of the thoughts that are moving through your mind, trying to pull your attention away from your breath. Take notice of them. This is the most important step. Let yourself be aware of those thoughts, feelings, images and memories. Your ebb and flows of thoughts will keep alluring your mind away from your breath. Tell yourself: I’m noticing my thoughts, yet I will let them go. Don’t get caught up or fascinated in them to start thinking yourself away. The idea is to sit with your thoughts and let them be whatever they are. Most of all, just notice their impermanence as they finally fade off with an attitude of acceptance toward those free-flowing thought.
Each time you catch yourself being dragged away by a thought, gently bring back your focus to your breath.
Feel a growing sense of peacefulness within as you keep settling into the breath with more focus.
Notice how it feels to get caught up in the passing contents of awareness, and how it feels to let them go by. Be aware of peaceful awareness itself.
Once you’re there in the state of peaceful stillness, you may decide to sit in that state for as long as you want. Finally, you may bring your practice to a close by opening your eyes and slowly allowing yourself to physical move. Keeping the peaceful stillness with you that you have created and allowed.
Pura Vida Yoga & Physical Training is a veteran owned and operated facility. Our mission is to maintain an intimate and sacred environment for people to grow in their physical and spiritual practice. In addition we will help guide individuals in the evolution of their yoga practice and life.
Pura Vida Yoga and Physical Training provides a unique environment, in which anyone can be comfortable and encouraged on their way to a healthy lifestyle.
Services we offer are personal training, partner training, group PRT, kids and teens conditioning, Aerial, Vinyasa, Hatha, Gentle, and Private Group Yoga, fitness boot camps, corporate wellness days, and other fitness and wellness workshops.
We can not wait to walk this journey with you.
