{"id":4124,"date":"2020-05-06T22:03:36","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T22:03:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/atb\/?p=4124"},"modified":"2020-05-06T22:03:36","modified_gmt":"2020-05-06T22:03:36","slug":"what-is-mindfulness-with-heather-horton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/atb\/2020\/05\/06\/what-is-mindfulness-with-heather-horton\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Mindfulness with Heather Horton"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this series we ask people around campus what mindfulness means to them and how they are surviving and thriving in the new circumstances we find ourselves in. Here, we talk to Heather Horton, director of the Colorado College Wellness Resource Center.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What does mindfulness mean to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mindfulness practices are about being present in the current moment \u2014 whatever that moment is.\u00a0Our observations of the here-and-now offer us so many gifts that we miss if we\u2019re too busy moving on to the next moment or worrying over the last. The old adage about stopping to smell the roses is really about mindfulness.\u00a0When we are mindfully present, we might get pleasure or joy from that smell, or from the light on the rose petals. But of course, sometimes stopping to sniff the air brings less pleasant smells.\u00a0Regardless of what I\u2019m sensing, I find taking the time to really notice it is very grounding; it allows me to take perspective about what is constant and what is changing in the world, and in myself.\u00a0Stopping to be in the moment and paying attention to my thoughts and feelings helps me recognize the cues my body and mind are giving me, and allows me to be responsive.\u00a0I also think that mindfulness is a very important component of strong interpersonal connection.\u00a0Being mindful in our interactions with other people, allows us to truly listen with curiosity so that we\u2019re not making assumptions or judgments. Mindful interpersonal engagement allows us to be tuned into ourselves\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0to that other person. I find that when I\u2019m able to do this, my interactions are more meaningful and satisfying.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How is mindfulness different from calmness or relaxation?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the non-striving and non-judgment that are key parts of mindfulness can indeed be liberating and relaxing, mindfulness also allows us to be present for our profound grief, fears, and anger.\u00a0These are emotions that we often try to avoid really feeling, but they are simply signals to us about things that are happening in ourselves and in our worlds; when we avoid them we stifle our own growth.\u00a0I\u2019ve always loved the way May Sarton puts it:\u00a0 \u201cTo close the door on pain is to miss the chance for growth . . . Nothing that happens to us, even the most terrible shock, is unusable, and everything has somehow to be built into the fabric of personality.\u201d\u00a0 Being mindfully present to ourselves in these moments of pain and suffering helps us move forward \u2014 by allowing ourselves to be compassionate and loving to ourselves; by revealing how those feelings shift over time; and by revealing to us our own humanness.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How does mindfulness help at a time like this of uncertainty and worry<\/strong>?<\/p>\n

As human beings, we like to feel like we\u2019re in control all the time.\u00a0Events like the Coronavirus pandemic offer daily (many times daily?) in-your-face evidence of how little we actually control.\u00a0 \u201cLetting be\u201d is an important component of mindfulness practices.\u00a0We simply bring our awareness to what is happening in this moment, and accept it as it is.\u00a0There is something incredibly liberating about being able to say, \u201cwhat is, is\u201d about the things we can\u2019t control and re-focusing our control instincts toward the things we can actually control \u2014 how we respond to our feelings, how we fill our time, proven strategies for reducing the spread of illnesses like washing hands and social distancing.\u00a0If we\u2019ve done that, at the end of the day, we can say \u201cI\u2019ve done what I can, and I\u2019ll do the same tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How are you cultivating it at this time?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m finding that the current moment is offering me lots of moments to let go of things I cannot control!\u00a0Whenever I hear myself saying something like \u201cthis is not OK\u201d or \u201cI have to make X happen,\u201d I\u2019m using that as a cue to stop and engage a mindfulness practice.\u00a0Often when I\u2019m responding to my own worry and uncertainty, my mindfulness practices are focused on seeing the shifts over time in my thoughts, feelings, and sensations that help me take perspective and be responsive to myself.\u00a0Also, because I\u2019m spending so much time looking at screens, I\u2019m really trying to make sure that I\u2019m engaging with analog, tactile things in my world in a mindful way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What are some of your favorite practices that you\u2019re leaning on at this time?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

These days I mostly find myself using a body scan practice, or sensory-focused practices like alien object, which is where you engage with an object as though you are an alien who has just landed on earth.\u00a0You explore the object through your senses (sight, smell, sound, touch, taste). It\u2019s great for practicing approaching objects (and other things) without assumption or judgment.\u00a0It allows me to recognize that even with something that I might have seen and interacted with many, many times, there are often aspects that I have overlooked or forgotten about.\u00a0It opens me up to curiosity and creativity, and it helps ground me in my sensory world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What resources does CC offer that can help students, faculty, or staff right now who want to cultivate mindfulness?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Wellness Resource Center is offering a weekly Mindful Stress Management workshop (Wednesdays at 4 p.m.), and we\u2019ve been building more online resources on our webpage https:\/\/www.coloradocollege.edu\/other\/wellness\/<\/a> and YouTube channel, too.\u00a0We continue to be available to consult with folks and connect them to resources and skills that will help them thrive.\u00a0The Chaplain\u2019s Office offers many mindful meditative and contemplative practices each week, and they have also developed an online resource repository.\u00a0Chaplain Kate Holbrook is a wonderful resource for people trying to build meaningful mindfulness practices into their daily life.\u00a0Our colleagues in the Counseling Center are a great resource for students.\u00a0 The folks in Outdoor Education are great resources for engaging mindfully with the natural world. Creativity and Innovation has Mindful Thursdays as well as some fantastic online resources. \u00a0It\u2019s wonderful to be a part of a community that offers so many opportunities and supports!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What suggestions can you offer to someone who might be struggling to be mindful now?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to know that mindfulness practices don\u2019t have to be big. We can build mindful moments into our lives in so many ways.\u00a0 For instance, as you take your shower, you can spend just a few moments noticing all the sensations \u2014 the smell and texture of your shampoo, the warmth of the water hitting your neck, the feeling of your feet planted on the shower floor\u2014and you can say to yourself, \u201cI\u2019m grateful to myself for taking this time to ground myself in this moment.\u201d It is a gift you can give yourself, and you are worth that investment.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thanks Heather, for taking the time to answer our questions, and may you be well. <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this series we ask people around campus what mindfulness means to them and how they are surviving and thriving in the new circumstances we find ourselves in. Here, we talk to Heather Horton, director of the Colorado College Wellness Resource Center.   What does mindfulness mean to you? Mindfulness practices are about being present … <\/p>\n

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