Mindfulness. It’s a daunting word. At least, it was for me when I was first heard it not too long ago. ‘The Mindfulness Movement’ sounds even more intimidating. It’s quite the opposite, though, and I can give you a broad explanation in just one or two sentences. Mindfulness is the practice of living consciously in the present moment. The Movement gained its fuel from the growing population of yogis and meditation practitioners in our Western culture. Mindfulness meditation and yoga made their way to the states back in the 20th century, long before any of us current college students were even a blip in our mom and dad’s brains.
Now we’re the ones carrying on the tradition. It’s important, for both us and this world as a whole. Mindfulness meditation has shown to have a small, but significant, benefit over a short period of time in psychological, cognitive, emotional, and physical health. Whether or not you believe it, the science community has a theory and evidence to support it, and they aren’t stopping there. Everyday, researchers are working towards gaining a better understanding of mindfulness and how these Eastern traditions play into our Western culture.
In college students, stress and a fast paced lifestyle are all too common. When was the last time you slow down while racing to your 8 AM and thought about where you were, how you were feeling, what your breath was like? A year ago, I would have said never. Never in my life had I thought to stop in the middle of my day and take a deep breath. Sure, I meditated off and on and practiced yoga daily, but off the mat, where was my breath? I was a desperate yogi drowning a mindless society while seeking something else. I found that through meditation workshops, online and in person, and now I hardly glance down at my phone as I walk. I take deep breaths in my mundane lectures when I feel my mind skipping off to daydream land. Sure, it’s fun there for awhile, but the only thing that is real and tangible is the present moment. Why then, do we so easily let it slip away from us?
I don’t mean to sound as though I am bragging, by any means, or that I’m some enlightened yogi master (I’m not) (at all) (not even close). I’m sharing some tidbits from my story, so that you can realize how possible it all is. Through all the clubs you participate in, the sports you play, the exercise you do, the classes you take, you can be mindful. It takes practice, studying, and time, not too different from those classes and teams and clubs that overflow your schedule.
If you’re still here, and you don’t think this idea of mindfulness is totally nutty, you might be wondering where to begin? And I have that information too! I’ve got your back, 100%.
Below you’ll find free yoga classes in the Boulder area, as well as some meditation seminars. The CU Rec Center, on campus and super convenient, also offers meditation and yoga classes for students, so click here to find the schedule.
CorePower Yoga — Offers a free week if you’re a newbie to the CPY community. Three locations in Boulder: North, South, and Boulder on The Hill
Lululemon on 29th Street — Offers free community yoga classes (at CPY on The Hill) during the month of September and free classes in-store most weekends
Shambhala Boulder — Free! The Shambhala community offers introductions to meditation with instruction, dharma talks & discussion, or reading and discussion. They have an Open House every Sunday from 10:30 AM to 12 PM, as well as other opportunities for mindfulness throughout the week.
Yoga in Your Park — Described as an “accessible and useful” class to “yogis of all skill levels,” Yoga in Your Park allows you to practice near to home & bring all your friends. The first class is free!
Outdoor Power Yoga in the Park — A 2 week session (Tuesday and Thursday) at Chautauqua
Nalandabodhi Boulder — Open to everyone and occurs every Sunday from 9-11 AM. A “calm abiding meditation.”
Meditative Church Service at Psychic Horizons Center — Open to all, non-denominational. Once a month from September to February, 10:30 AM to 12 PM.
prAna Boulder — Check out the schedule on their website & you’ll find an abundance of classes open to the community every weekend.
Boulder Psychic Institute: Located on Pearl Street, they offer tons of free opportunities to delve deeper in your mindfulness, self awareness, spirituality, or to just dip your toes into the idea of it all. Every Friday from 6-7 PM they have a Healing & Meditative Church Service. Every Tuesday and Thursday until Thursday, December 15, they offer Free Psychic Readings, but do ask that you schedule ahead.
For now, assuming you didn’t immediately jump up from where you are sitting and run to the nearest meditation seminar, here’s what you can do to practice mindfulness right now, exactly as you are. You don’t have to put on fancy yoga clothes, burn incense, chant. Nothing at all. You simply have to be.
Stop what you’re doing. (Except, don’t stop reading this. That wouldn’t make much sense. So read the rest of the steps, then give it a go!)
Put your phone down, close your laptop, take your headphones out of your ears.
Take a full breath in. Fill your lungs with fresh air, feel your belly expand. Exhale, out your mouth, and notice how it feels as you empty your lungs.
How are you feeling? Are you tired, just a little sleepy? Hungry, cranky, stressed? Calm, blissful, or content? Make a note of it. How is your breathing? Often, throughout the day, we’ll slip into a shallow breathing pattern without noticing, and we need oxygen to our brain, so stay with those deep breaths for a few beats longer.
Still breathing.
Yep, still breathing.
Take another inhale. Exhale.
If someone’s looking at you weird, let that shit go.
One last full breath.
And now, go back to whatever you were up to before you stumbled across this article. Or maybe, add one of those yoga events to your calendar & take what you just practiced further. What you put in, you’ll get out. And if you give mindfulness your all, I promise, the benefits are spectacular.