Journal 1: Mindfulness is the New Meditation

The article featuring the benefits of practicing mindfulness intrigued me greatly. I’ve never heard of the term “mindfulness,” instead meditation is what comes to mind for this practice. However, the word “mindfulness” definitely adds a different connotation to this act of reflection and stillness. When I think of mindfulness, I think of being self-aware with your thoughts. It reminds me a lot of yoga, which I have practiced in the past. Yoga is all about finding your center and what feels good for you. It’s supposed to be a judgement-free zone. If it feels better to modify a pose to fit your own body’s needs, that is encouraged. You must be aware of yourself and what you want. Mindfulness seems like mental yoga, where you do what feels best for you—open eyed, close eyed, crossed legs, uncrossed legs, etc. Whatever makes you feel the most at peace or has the greatest potential of helping you to think freely and uninhibited is the most encouraged. It’s a cool concept. I’m excited to see how this manifests itself in our classroom. Will there be a change in how the class is? Will it bring us closer together? Will we leave our stresses at the door?