Forms of Prayer: Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a decision to be present right where we are, a deliberate choosing to be aware of the people and things immediately around us. It is cultivating a habit of attentiveness. Notice how many shades of green spring brings. Really listen to the person you are with without listening silently formulating a reply.

Take a walk with a small child. Each leaf, bug or stone is an object of wonder and a thing of beauty. As you enter into this world of newness and awareness, examine it even more carefully. Let his joy become yours. Turn your heart and mind to the creator of such a marvelous world.

In our busy world, sometimes a remind can be helpful. Keeping a magnifying glass close at hand might help with this. Set aside a few moments each day to really examine something, a pinecone, leaf or the fabric on your shirt. Let yourself be drawn back to that childlike sense of wonder in the present that is at the heart of mindfulness.

This article was authored by Melanie F., a member of the Prayer Ministries Team at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Resources

• Eat, Sleep and Breathe Mindfulness
• Mindfulness Over Matter
• What Does It Mean to Be Mindful?

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