Before doing Mind&BodyFulness in a practical way it is useful to read the article  'Mindfulness and Bodyfulness: What They Are and What Problems They Solve' in this blog. Have you already read it? Then let's get started!

Let's picture Mind&BodyFulness:

You are a unique person, not simply because only you have in your mind the thoughts that you have in your mind and not even because only you feel the emotions that you feel. Even less because only you have a body with its sensations. We have these things in common with others. Identical twins have many things in common but as unique individuals, they have the ability to use their willpower in an individual way. To practice Mind&BodyFulness it is essential to accept that you have a mind, emotions and a body but that you are the person who manages these parts with the power to understand and to want.

When you do something for the first time it is normal to feel a little unsure about how to start. Let's start with mindfulness, then bodyfulness and finally Mind&BodyFulness.

Let's start with mindfulness

1. Scanning the environment around you: make yourself physically comfortable. Notice the environment with all your senses open. Try for a few minutes to let go of the tendency to judge both the things and people around you, but also your internal reactions. Noticing in this case means receiving the good and the bad that the environment stimulates in you, without interacting. Keep in mind that receiving sensations and thoughts is for free, but that reasoning and acting costs energy.
   Write down if you feel different after the exercise. It could be that at first you feel somewhat uncomfortable.
2. Scanning the interior environment: Make yourself physically comfortable in a quiet environment. Close your eyes if this does not make you uncomfortable. Even without the stimuli of the external environment, things are constantly happening inside you. From head to toe, thoughts, feelings, emotions and sensations manifest themselves spontaneously in you. Choose not to interact with this flow of things, as if you were behind bulletproof glass: you can see everything that is happening but it is not touching you.
   Write down if you feel different after the exercise. It could be that at first you feel somewhat uncomfortable.
3. Focus your attention: Start with exercise 1 or 2. Instead of receiving everything your attention brings to your awareness, now choose to connect your attention purposefully to something. Try keeping your eyes open during this exercise, even if you connect your attention to something internal. Continue to just be aware, without interacting to judge or change. If your mind starts to wander, bring your attention back to where you chose it to be (for example, a photo, a plant, your breath, or a sensation in your body). Even though your attention stays steadily on one thing, what you feel tends to keep changing. Let it happen!
   This practice, although simple, is powerful for cultivating awareness of the 'here and now'. Write down if you feel different after the exercise. It might be that at first you feel somewhat uncomfortable.
4. Move yourself: Do something physically active but easy in intensity (for example walking or doing simple exercises). Notice what your movement does to your whole body (not just the pain you feel in one part). Write down if you feel different after the exercise. It might be that at first it is not so easy to combine active movement with feeling your body. Choose a simple activity.

   Read this article to understand and avoid the risks of mindfulness.

 

Now shall we do bodyfulness?

1. Having thoughts: Many thoughts are just there, they come and go automatically. You are not thinking, you are just having thoughts.
   Make yourself physically comfortable. With your eyes open or closed, notice the thoughts you have and observe how these thoughts have some effect on your body. Many people experience their thoughts only in their heads but automatic thoughts manifest in every part of the body. Just notice the physical manifestations caused by the thoughts that are just there. Don’t waste energy by doing something with these automatic thoughts.
   Write down if you feel different after the exercise. It could be that at first you feel somewhat uncomfortable.
2. Think: In addition to automatic thoughts, you can also think of something voluntarily. Every thought can have an effect. Make yourself physically comfortable. Close your eyes if that doesn't make you uncomfortable. Choose something to think about and observe the effect it has on your body. Choosing what to think about is different than following a thought that came up by itself. It is often easier to visualize something in your mind (for example, a place, a person, an animal or a goal you have). The more clearly you see the image of your thoughts and the more colors there are, the greater the physical effects will be.
   Write down if you feel different after the exercise. It might be that you don't notice many physical effects of your thoughts at first.
3. Move yourself: Do some routine activity like working on a computer, cooking, tidying up things, or walking. What you do is one thing, the way you move yourself doing it is another. As you continue to do what you do, try to notice what thoughts cause the way you automatically move your body. For example, if you see yourself as capable of doing something, your posture is different than when you see yourself as clumsy. When you see what you do as useful, it changes compared to when you see it as useless.
   Write down if you feel different after the exercise. It could be that at first you don't recognize the thoughts that are behind your habits, simply because you are used to them.

   Read this article to understand and avoid the risks of bodyfulness.

 

The Power of Mind&BodyFulness

Just as a relaxing massage, that makes you feel consciously loose and relaxed, does not automatically change the way you manage physical tension, being aware of what is happening in your mind and your body does not automatically mean that you can also control yourself as you wish. This is the power of Mind&BodyFulness!

1. Observe with a purpose: Like exercises 1 and 2 of mindfulness and exercise 1 of bodyfulness, but no longer just noticing. First of all, you determine what you want. Without knowing what you want, there is no goal. Since it is your will for yourself, you can say "I want to ..." and not "I would like to ..." I'll give you an example: I want to be calmer / I want to be more energetic / I want ...
   Now that you have your goal, go in search of something or someone that gives you the feeling you want to make your own. Let's take the examples mentioned before. Maybe the sea, an open plain or a forest gives you a feeling of calm. Or the birds in your garden, children playing or a piece of music gives you energy. As you focus your attention on what gives you the desired feeling, also observe in which part of your body you feel that feeling of well-being that is transmitted to you. Do you feel calm on your chest or energy in your legs?
   Now, everything you feel in your body is yours. So, as you stay connected to the external source of the good feeling, realize that the feeling is now in your body and therefore part of you. Take deep breaths without straining and enjoy this feeling that has been transmitted to you. The more you enjoy it, the more it will become yours. Now is the time for the key action. While staying connected to the desirable feeling in your body, turn on your mind. There are thoughts that strengthen the feeling and there are thoughts that disturb it. Choose to think those that strengthen it. Then the brain registers these desirable feelings in your body along with the chosen thoughts. You are making the feeling your own!
   Let's take the example of the sea that transmits calm to you. You observe the sea and feel the calm it transmits. You are breathing more slowly to enjoy the sensation of calm that is now in your body. You realize that you have certainties in your life that you take for granted. Thinking about these certainties reinforces the sense of calm and you enjoy it. Later in everyday life, after a bit of training, you will only need to think about your certainties to reactivate the sensation of calm of the sea.

   Alternatively, you can also focus on a part of your body where the desired sensation is present. For example, you might want loosen up your shoulders. You notice that your legs are loose. Loose legs are a source of looseness outside your shoulders. So you can do with your legs exactly the same thing that you can do with the sea in the previous example.

2. Move yourself: think about dancing for a moment. While listening to music that you like, move your body deliberately in harmony with that music, expressing your mood. This exercise is similar. Bring your attention to something good that is just there. It can be nature, a pleasant physical sensation, a nice thought or something else. Now start moving. For example, walking or a simple exercise but also a routine activity. Consider the pleasant sensation that you have chosen as the background music with which you want to harmonize through your postures and your movement. If you feel a little loose, move loosely. If you feel joy, move cheerfully. Don't make fake movements, move yourself the way you feel because of the sensation you found at the beginning.

 

Change is possible!

You have probably noticed that mindfulness and bodyfulness make you aware but that only Mind&BodyFulness allows you to make real changes to your way of being. With Mind&BodyFulness, which includes the practices of mindfulness and bodyfulness, you are behind the steering wheel of your awareness and your free will.

Making Mind&BodyFulness a Good Habit

As you become more familiar with the ability to harmonize your mind, body, and willpower, you can begin to integrate it into your daily life. Some suggestions:

• Plan mindfulness time: Dedicate a few minutes each day to the conscious perception of yourself and your free will.
• Accept your responsibility: circumstances may be unfavorable but to bring out the best in you, you have to react with understanding and willingness and not just on autopilot.
• Practice gratitude: At the end of each day, reflecting on what you can be grateful for can help you cultivate a positive, mindful attitude.
• Connect Mind&BodyFulness exercises to your daily routine: Transform everyday activities like walking to the car, cooking, or showering into moments of mindful well-being, because you want it to.

 

Conclusion

Starting a journey that combines mindfulness and bodyfulness in Mind&BodyFulness may seem challenging, but with small steps and consistent practice it can become a natural part of your life. Remember that wellness is not a destination but an ongoing process of discovery and personal growth. Well-being comes when you lead the process with your free will, even if the wind isn't always in your favor. Over time, you will find that this practice allows you to live your full potential for yourself and others.

If you want to know more and discover all the benefits given by mindfulness and bodyfulness, start a Mind&BodyFulness journey by booking an informative consultation.