I have so many things about mindfulness for which to be grateful! Here are three of the many ways mindfulness is changing my life by the grace of God… 

Gift #1: Greater sense of God’s peace within me and around me. 

Maybe any time we get still long enough and spend enough time in quiet we have easier access to the Divine. What I know for me is that as I ease and allow the worries and concerns of my day, week, life to drop away for just a beat while I meditate, I feel in closer contact to my loving God. Sometimes when I practice, I even feel held by a loving God. And, some days, as I sit quietly in meditation coming back to my anchor (breath, sound or physical sensation) over and over again, I sense myself coming back home to God within me over and over again. There is something incredibly peaceful and encouraging, supportive and whole about returning over and over again to the Divine within. I rarely if ever have new insights arise while I’m sitting in meditation, but what I do find is that quiet, still time primes the pump to better receive the whispers of the Holy Spirit. It’s as if the meditation time cleans out the vessel of my being, creating greater room and capacity for The Spirit to access and land within me. 

Gift #2: Greater awareness and presence in the present moment. 

I notice this gift most frequently when hanging out with my children. I can be a real drifter. My mind can roam and entertain itself with projects, worries, or flatout rabbit holes. However, when I meditate regularly, I find a wider capacity to be with and stay with my children in conversation or really anyone in conversation. I’m a true introvert, and I can get overstimulated easily. Regular mindfulness gives me the gift of reducing the stimuli. Again, the practice widens the space and allows more in without getting overstimulated. Not every day! But, I’ve noticed a shift. 

Gift #3: Calmer reactions (especially noticed in parenting!). 

When it comes to keeping peace and serenity, I can hover there until I don’t. And, when I go down, everyone knows it, especially my kids. It is the tone of voice I use and the word choice (or lack there of). It is my snappy attitude and general edginess. I find, however, when I’m regularly engaged in formal and informal practices of mindfulness, my reactions are less intense. Over time what I’m finding is that the calm and quiet of meditation, resets my nervous system. The practice brings me back to a sense of equanimity. And, the more I practice, it appears the easier it is for me to get back to that equanimity even under perceived stressful situations. I feel better and more confident in my parenting when I can keep cool under stress or even begin to see situations as actually not that stressful. GAME CHANGER. 

For an extended audio version of this post which includes a bit of the story of how I came to mindfulness, please go to the Mindful Christians podcast. 

Every Sunday in Advent (December 1, 8, 15, 22) I’ll post a blog about weaving mindfulness and the season of Advent as well as share a new Advent meditation on Mindful Christians podcast. If you’d like an email reminding you every Sunday of these new posts and meditations, please go to me website and join the mailing list: www.carolinevogel.com. 

If you live in the Knoxville area and are interested in meditating with others on a regular basis, please plan to join us every Monday in December from noon-1pm at Gay Street Yoga, 317 North Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. www.gaystreetyoga.com