Mindfulness, Meditation and Happiness

When I first started my mindfulness journey 29 years ago I can safely say I wasn’t convinced it worked! Kneeling for 30 minutes was agony, my feet going numb and after ‘nodding off’ I would often be abrubtly woken up with a knee be ‘placed’!! in my back to prove my back wasn’t straight !!! 
Back then my martial arts training was to me about fitness & fighting but the underlying truth was that consistency in repeating movements and mastering the art of resting the mind was the key to perfecting the way of a true martial artist. 
So realistically it took me around 5 years to actually submit to truly understanding meditation. 
This is a submission to believe that it can be of benefit and release ones mind from the chaos, negativity & clutter that can damage our life unnecessarily if only we took time to practice this wonderful method of release. 
I now meditate EVERY morning and evening, I can now slip in meditation mode in a second. 

Meditation is extremely effective and beneficial because our minds are way more powerful than any social media platform or ‘act’ that we put our bodies through routinely. 
I know this may sound strange but in meditation you feel like you are ‘going home’ because that state of mind and being is a comfortable easy place to be. 

In life or ‘a mindful journey’ the only thing we are to do is dream where we would like to be then set about the journey to get there. 
Every incident, energy, person, and circumstance is that journey so as long as we are moving forward we will without doubt reach every dream and have happiness on the way. 
If there is any doubt, stress, worry, negativity or block these are steps sideways, backwards or downward spirals. 

Sideways only means you are stuck and not developing, this can be avoiding necessary means of personal growth like reading or practicing or planning for better things to happen. So always sideway stepping because things are just OK. Backwards is a form of negativity, not believing things are possible. Usually this may mean that a place or position has already been acheived but lost or stepped down from because of not living in the new position with strength and confidence. (which is why it is backward/ away from the dream and happiness). 

Spirals ‘downward’ will need to be recognised by ones self and quite quickly. If it is not it can get out of hand. You need to stop, take a look around and reach for a way to get back on track. Things will be ‘given’ or ‘put in your path’ for you to reach towards and get back on track for your journey. However if you are not living in the moment to notice these things to reach for then it will take longer to get back on that pathway. Spirals ‘up’ are initially good, however it is like taking the long route around, drifting, floating, procrastinating and will also need circumstances to bring us back onto the direct path for the journey. 

No matter how small and large your steps are the important thing is they are forward on that direct path towards your dreams and experiencing happiness as you go. There is no better way to stay on that direct path than to get fully aligned with your own mind, it is something I would definately recommend giving a go.