In exploring mindfulness, one swiftly notices that there are fleeting moments of quietude amidst the myriad of thoughts and emotions. Meditation is one of the key mindfulness practices for allowing the mind to experience more moments of stillness. Brain Power Wellness offers students something known as the Ocean Meditation to help them observe the ebb and flow of their thoughts and emotions as being akin to the rhythmic dance of the ocean’s waves.
Over time, this impactful practice allows students to become skilled in observing thoughts and emotions arise, without attaching negative or positive attributes to them. They gain a profound understanding that, like the waves of the ocean, these movements of mind simply come to pass; there is no need to be swept away by them. As Brain Power Wellness reviews, this practice of swimming beyond the waves’ tumult fosters transformative growth and resilience amidst life’s challenges.
The Ocean’s Meditation
Brain Power Wellness invites you to watch your thoughts and your breath. Inevitably, thoughts and emotions arise, change, fall away, and sometimes return in different forms. As humans, our tendency is to latch onto them, giving them a sense of solidity as we create false stories from them. The Ocean Meditation is one of a myriad of practices useful in allowing us to simply observe these movements of mind simply and then swiftly allow them to return to the space whence they came.
Mindfulness in Action
As an alternative to creating a story out of habit, when thoughts or emotions have arisen in mind, we can observe them without judgment, focusing on our breath rather than the mental chatter. Just as the shore allows the waves to roll in, recede, roll in again, and once again recede, so too, we can allow thoughts and emotions to come and pass, come and pass. When the mental clamor falls away, even for an instant, an awareness of inner quietude washes over us, reminiscent of the deep peace we experience in or at the ocean, in those moments of calm in between waves.
This kind of life-changing level of awareness is the foundation of mindfulness in action.
A Profound Level of Awareness
If we were to successfully go beyond the waves of our conscious mind, just like going beyond the joy or fear experienced by watching or feeling the ocean’s waves, we could enter a very profound level of awareness. Allow yourself to imagine that you are swimming out beyond the waves. As the swimmer you feel more peaceful, calm, able to watch the waves from afar and not be involved. Allowing ourselves to be entertained by the waves breaking is one of a multitude of ways we can interact with the ocean just as engaging with our thoughts and emotions can feel busy, chaotic, exciting and terrifying, when what we really seek is to connect with the profound nature of our being.
Acceptance and Grace
The Ocean Meditation can be explored at even greater depths. Imagine that we were capable of breathing easily underwater. Swimming and witnessing the way marine life interacts, the first thing we might notice is acceptance. Nature allows the animals to exist in harmony, eating what they need and nesting where they feel safe. There is no judgment. How often do we allow ourselves the opportunity to spend the day seeing the diversity of our existence with grace and non-judgment? Would it be possible to live more comfortably if we were to accept things just as they arise, attending to the needs of the present moment, rather than turning mental chatter into false stories about the past or the future? Might more simplicity and less chaos serve us well?
Embodying Movement and Stillness
Working with our mind and body, as we do in the Brain Power Wellness program, is a journey of embracing movement and stillness for periods of time each day. This allows us to be fully present to how our body is physically feeling; where we may be holding tension; and what thoughts and emotions are present. This practice of observation gives us the opportunity to release the hold that negative thoughts and emotions exert upon us, notwithstanding how real and true they might appear.
Mindfulness practices allow us to hear the messages our bodies, minds, and hearts are sending us. Our reactive mental habits can begin to transform into positive traits and ways of behaving. The result of working with our bodies and minds to mimic the natural world more and more will help us develop a greater mental and emotional reservoir of resilience to assist us when we feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges.
As Brain Power Wellness reviews, once we become skillful observers of how our thoughts and emotions come and go, arise and fall, crash and disappear, the reactions and habits we want to change will begin to transform into what we want to create. The result of working with our bodies and minds to more readily mimic the natural world will help us develop greater mental and emotional reservoirs of resilience to assist us when we are overwhelmed by the challenges life presents.
About Brain Power Wellness
Brain Power Wellness (BPW) is a holistic organization committed to creating vibrant and nurturing educational environments in schools. The primary goal of Brain Power Wellness is to transform the culture of educational institutions by promoting personal growth, mindfulness, community unity, immersive retreat experiences, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), comprehensive wellness practices, and cognitive enhancement techniques tailored for educators, students, families, and school leaders. Impressively, BPW’s influence has expanded to corporate sectors, where teams now benefit from life-changing retreats that provide participants with essential strategies to foster healthy, sustainable, and positive work environments.