Finding Joy through Mindfulness

We are encouraged to be mindful of four aspect of our SELF: emotions, body, spirit and intellect. It has been found that each one of us have a “special place” in the self that we are most comfortable in. In the culture of mindfulness, that place turns out to be the Intellect. This is true for most people as they often live inside the head, be it thinking about what to do in the day, organizing matters, planning events and problem solving.

We often do not spend much time thinking or nurturing the other 3 aspects of the SELF because we are too caught up in the Intellect. It is no wonder that many a time people feel imbalanced and depressed. This is usually because you need balance in all aspects of the SELF.

Emotions: Many of us tend to ignore our emotions. We stuff them away and discount them whenever an emotion that we do not like comes up. Some of us do not express our emotions and many may choose not to feel them. On the other hand, there are others who constantly search for high emotions to feel alive regardless of the dangers or people involved. However there are not many who dare to truly express their most inner emotions. As the saying goes, “emotions are the language of the soul”. A person can never be happy if words from the soul are not spoken out loud.

Body: The body is where the spirit lies and the place where we conduct most of our physical activities. We are given bodies so that we can accomplish our daily tasks. However, many of us do not value and take care of our bodies. How many people can actually say that they treat their body with respect? If you are a smoker or drinker or eat lots of junk food, that is an example of abusing the body.

Spirit: The Spirit is the place where our natural self and wisdom connect. It is the source of inner peace, generosity, compassion and love. However we often look for these wisdoms in the Intellect and try to rationalize it within the domain of scientific knowledge.  There are many who do not find joy in their lives because they are not open to the idea of the Spirit and wisdoms it contains or controls.

Intellect: The Intellect is the source of information and logic. It is an excellent tool for rational behaviors like strategizing, analyzing, evaluating and planning. However, most of us live only in this domain and choose to use it to control our lives. We tend to over analyze emotions and wisdoms such as love, passion and generosity. These wonderful emotions are not in the Intellect and those who rationalize it are bound to suffer a life of sorrow and pain. Only when we understand the balance brought by the other aspects of our SELF can we find joy.

Mindfulness is the appreciation we get when we start to understand every aspect of SELF. Once we achieve mindfulness, we will find joy in our lives.
Mindfulness, rational thinking and behaviour therapy have proven their benefits in people’s lives, and their effects have only turned out for the best, helping a large amount of people to lead a happy and content life.
For more information please call The CBT Partnership in Hertford on 01992 552022 or visit their feature on The Best Of Hertford to see how their mindfulness training can help.