Mindfulness And Stress Relief
Stress is an internal matter, not an external condition. 95% of stress is caused by our attachment to thoughts of what has happened in the past or what may happen in the future. When we are mindful, completely aware with what is happening as it is happening, in the present moment, we allow ourselves to experience our natural state of being. Our natural state of being is one of high concentration, high focus, and a relatively calm and balanced sense of ease, even in the midst of difficult and challenging situations. Scientifically speaking, we operate most effectively and most efficiently from this natural state of being. While inhabiting this state, our blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and hormone levels begin to regulate and our minds are less cluttered and we obtain clarity. Mindfulness allows us to see things as they actually are and to recognize when we are stressing due to what we are giving our attention to, as opposed to what is actually happening in reality. Each of us possess the innate capacity to manage our stress from within. We almost never need to go outside of ourselves for stress relief, we simply have to learn to use what we already have.