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INNER PEACE Make 2015 a mindful year and get more out of life Comment By Barbara Casey DailyTidings.com By Barbara Casey Posted Dec. 26, 2014 at 3:00 PM By Barbara Casey Posted Dec. 26, 2014 at 3:00 PM » RELATED CONTENT Share your Inner Peace --> The Ashland Daily Tidings invites residents of the Rogue Valley to submit articles on all aspects of inner peace, including intuition, inner guidance, mind t... » Read more X Share your Inner Peace The Ashland Daily Tidings invites residents of the Rogue Valley to submit articles on all aspects of inner peace, including intuition, inner guidance, mind training, courage, fearlessness, forgiveness of self or others, honesty, gentleness, humor, open mindedness, friendship, tolerance, trust, faith, kindness, gratitude, overcoming and/or accepting life’s challenges of addictions, loss, grief, pain, awareness of presence and more. Send 600- to 700-word articles to Sally McKirgan, [email protected] . • Life: An adventure in consciousness • 'No Mud, No Lotus': An opportunity • Community Blog: Communication is an Art • No barking • Mindfulness: Is it for you? » Social News When I first learned the practice of mindfulness 18 years ago, the simplicity of it fooled me. It seems obvious that we all want to be fully engaged in our lives, that we don't want to spend significant amounts of our time spaced out or distracted, missing the beauty and meaning of life in all its aspects.  I thought it would take about six months of concentrated effort to learn to stay in the present moment all the time. My report to you now is that the causes of forgetfulness in all its forms — not being satisfied with ourselves or what we have now, needing to deny or distract ourselves from unpleasantness or pain, grabbing for the next thing we think will make us happy —  is a deep-seated habit that will easily take me more than one lifetime to unlearn.  And yet, every moment of being mindful makes a qualitative difference in my life. It brings me more happiness and more ability to deal with whatever life throws my way. The art of mindful living is the most valuable skill I've ever learned, and I still feel like a beginner.  Here are a few of the results I have noticed: • less resistance to whatever challenges show up, be it bad weather or serious illness; • the ability to cultivate joy and gratitude every day; • more acceptance and love for myself and everyone; • less need to rush, to take care of things before I can relax and enjoy; • less worry about things I can do nothing about; and • a deep enjoyment of life in all its manifestations. It's because being mindful is so simple and can be applied in all areas of life that it often slips under the radar of our busy-ness and preoccupations. This is why we need reminders and tools to help us cultivate it. However, mindfulness is not just an added tool in our toolbox, like knowing how to play the piano or grow flowers. Instead, it's the joy within the experience of piano playing and flower growing; it's the joy of being present to the miracle of being alive.  Because our minds can instantaneously move throughout space and time — as I sit here in my hotel room in Hamburg, Germany, through the miracle of my mind I can also visualize and enjoy being home in windy Ashland — it is necessary to learn how to keep our minds right where are bodies are. When we explore what happens as we learn to sustain this kind of focus, we find a surprising level of peacefulness and happiness. Just a few breaths of settling into the moment can give us a qualitative difference in the experience of our lives. Maybe this happens because letting go and being present is our natural state, our birthright. It’s who we truly are.  Many people are practicing mindfulness in various aspects of life; it can be found in schools, healing professions, boardrooms and at the kitchen table. Anderson Cooper featured mindfulness on 60 Minutes last week, so it is truly a mainstream concept. Whatever our primary area of interest, we need to start by learning the basics in a supportive group. Members of Peaceful Refuge Sangha meet weekly to practice, and also offer an annual class on how to learn basic mindfulness skills. You are invited to join our Essentials of Mindfulness Meditation class to be held in January. Whether you are just curious or are already a mindfulness practitioner, spending a few hours of the new year cultivating our peace and happiness is a good way to start it.  Essentials of Mindfulness Meditation is set for 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4 and 11, in the Gresham Room at the Ashland library. Everyone is welcome; a donation is appreciated. To register, email [email protected] or call 541-482-6876. For more information, go to the Upcoming Events page at peacefulrefugesangha.org . — Barbara Casey was ordained a teacher by Thich Nhat Hanh five years ago and offers classes and consultations in mindfulness meditation. By Barbara Casey DailyTidings.com By Barbara Casey Posted Dec. 26, 2014 at 3:00 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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