I was recently asked by a former student – one of my best and brightest – for information on mindfulness in hopes to relieve an anxious and worrying mind. Boy did they land at the wellspring! I feel like the last two years of my life have been all-consumed in the most beautiful way with mindfulness. This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked this question and I’m certain it won’t be the last so I feel compelled to share the beautiful Universal gift that is the present moment in hopes that it changes someone else’s life for the better as much as it has mine. Here goes:

I was introduced to mindfulness practice during my treatment at the Eating Disorder Center of Denver. Cheese balls and all: it was one of the greatest – if not THE greatest gifts ever given to me. I have struggled with anxiety and depression for as long as I can remember. I’ve worried myself through most of my life – even as a young child. Some of this was inherited, some instilled later through certain life situations and events. My mind truly was – and still is – the wild, untamed forest elephant that Buddha speaks of – constantly running, trampling crops, doing damage and injuring those around it.

When I discovered – or was gifted – mindfulness I felt like I had just been invited in to some type of secret society that I had never heard anyone talk about. It seemed like this beautiful, magical, and serene world full of beautiful landscapes, rainbows, butterflies, waterfalls and glitter – yes, there must *always* be glitter. In fact, after I started practicing it’s as if the entire Universe opened up and I realized that THIS was what all of these people were doing that I looked up to and wanted to be like ‘when I grew up’ – former professors, my design mentor, a Goddess named Leah who took me to my first Sanga, famous poets, musicians, and artists whose work I cherished and was deeply inspired by. Goodness me – when I found the present moment it was the first (and only) moment of the rest of my life.

So what is mindfulness? Ask 108 different people and get 108 different answers. It could also take me 108 years to fully explain what it is – so here’s the wham bam thank you ma’am version:

From my perspective, mindfulness simply means being present in the current moment. Your mind isn’t reflecting, remembering or lingering in the past and it isn’t worrying about or contemplating the future.

And how do you do it? Simply notice your experience. Don’t get caught in it or react to it – just notice. Have a ‘teflon mind’ and let experiences, feelings and thoughts come into your mind and slip right back out. Control your attention – don’t push or cling to any thoughts or feelings. Be a guard on duty – alert to every thought, feeling, and action that enters through your mind’s gate. Step inside yourself and watch your thoughts coming and going like clouds in the sky. I often picture my thoughts as leaves floating down a stream. Deeply notice what comes through your senses – your eyes, ears, nose, skin, tongue – stop and smell the roses.

An easy and helpful way to incorporate this into your day is to put words to things that you are doing or experiencing. “I am ______ right now.” or “A thought of ______ has come into my mind.” Call a thought just a thought and a feeling just a feeling. Most importantly don’t judge anything. It’s not a good thought or bad thought – just a thought. It’s not a positive or negative feeling – just a feeling.

Here’s the thing though – this isn’t easy. In the beginning you’ll continually catch that wild elephant of yours trampling crop, after crop, after crop. Just like learning to use any new tool you must practice. The good news? You can practice little but practice often. Every time you catch your mind wondering in the past or future just bring yourself right back to the present moment – notice your breath – in and out, in and out Eventually you’ll find that mindfulness becomes your resting state – which seems completely foreign and not even friggin’ possible given that most human beings live nearly their entire life in anything but the present.

When I first started practicing mindfulness I was REALLY good at it. I was so stoked and proud – until I learned about ego anyway. Regardless, it just seemed to flow and come totally naturally for me – then one day it got really hard! I eventually realized that mindfulness is something you continually work at. It does get easier but you’ll have days and experiences in which you are SO in the NOW and some days you’re finding your mind all over Hells Half Acre as my grandma would say. But as my Om,girl Pema Chodron says “just keep coming back home” to the present moment.

So what’s the point? Why do all this? In my opinion and through my experience it’s quite simple. You’ll find yourself a happier, far less anxious or depressed, go-with-the-flow, not-freaking-out-if-things-don’t-go-the-way-you-planned, able to deal with any situation calmly as it happens, content-with-wherever-you-are-when-you-are-there, peaceful and compassionate person. You’ll find what some call a state of bliss or awakeness. You’ll be living life fully and appreciating the present that it is.

I could go on and on forever but part of the beauty of mindfulness for me is the process of discovering and unearthing the secret society and magical lands of waterfalls and glitter through reading. Here’s a list of my personal favs on the topic – in somewhat but no particular order. Enjoy the juicy goodness.