Mindfulness - August 8, 2021

Mindfulness is a topic that often has a bad reputation when discussed among Catholics. It’s often associated with Eastern religions such as Buddhism and therefore cannot be utilized within our prayer lives as Catholics. However, this belief is false. Mindfulness is the practice of remaining conscious of the present moment.

God cannot be restricted to Sunday Mass or the times that we set aside for prayer. He is with us always and everywhere!

To practice mindfulness is simply to take the time to notice what is present. The Christian Brothers have been doing this for centuries with their practice of saying, “Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God,” throughout their day to remember the constant presence of the Holy Spirit and its influence in our lives.

I think the biggest reason mindfulness has been shown time and time again to be helpful for issues such as depression and anxiety is because we stop everything for just a moment to remember the truth about ourselves- that we are loved, we were created for a reason, and that we are made for Heaven. If we take a minute to slow life down and unplug for a bit, we can take a step back and remember what is truly important. “The Mindful Catholic” by Dr. Greg Bottaro is a great book to read if you are interested in learning more about mindfulness.

This week, take a few moments throughout the day to practice mindfulness. It can be as little as 10 seconds! You may find that you like it and that it is helping you grow closer to God.