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In 1966 Paul Simon wrote "Slow down you move too fast, You..." How did he know that paying attention to the present moment allows us to connect to the world and the joy around us as well as giving us a break from our tiring thoughts? Basically, that caring for oneself does have physiological benefits.
In 1996 cardiologist Dr Dean Ornish published in the Lancet, a pre-eminent medical journal, a study reporting a reversal of heart disease with a lifestyle that involves diet, yoga and heartfelt communication supporting the view that if we care for ourselves we’ll see enormous benefits.
Professor Blackburn, our Australian Nobel Prize Laureate, reported that stress reduction improved telomere repair. Telomeres are at the end of our DNA strands, and stop the DNA unravelling. Mindfulness Practice decreases stress. So caring for one's mind has psychological and biochemical benefits.
Did you know that most of the time your mind is somewhere else? It's a wandering mind... even in the workplace... and probably even now. Luckily exercise and making love grab our attention!
Can you change the way you think so that you’re more attentive? Will this make any difference?
The answer is a resounding 'Yes'. Mindfulness Practice is training to focus the wandering mind. Five minutes twice daily can make a difference and there are books to read, apps to download or workshops to attend.
Clearer thinking, the ability to make calm, considered decisions and freedom from feeling overwhelmed by a seemingly never-ending workload are just some of the benefits that a practice of mindfulness can bring to your workplace.
With Mindfulness Practice we can join with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and enjoy their wise words from the past in our present.
"Hello lamp-post
what cha knowin'?
I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Aint cha got no rhymes for me
Doot-in' doo-doo
Feelin' groovy"