The Power of Mindfulness, Science-Based Stress Relief
Feeling stressed, tired, burned-out or angry? Do you react harsh or with frustration when your child spoils his glass of water, makes a mess or when someone asks you something for the second or third time?
Science proves that just eight weeks of daily mindfulness practice can significantly reduce stress levels, with a nicer you as a result.
🔹 What is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)?
Used as a therapy for stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, MBSR combines meditation, gentle movement, and body awareness to help you feel present and in control. Instead of reacting with frustration or anger, you learn to respond calmly and wisely—protecting your health in the long run. It can help you reduce stress and help your mind and body relax by using a combination of mindful meditation, yoga, and body awareness strategies.
It helps you become present in the moment and focus on the sensations and feelings that you have. You have these sensations in your body but may be you never felt these.
Some people who listen carefully to their body, know when a stomach occurs for example. It means that they need to slow down. If you start to get headaches, you’d better relax your pace, instead of taking paracetamol and continue with the same pace you had.
When Jaap-Willem did a body scan he found out he was stiff in his shoulders. And when I followed my intensive course, I noticed that my jars were tight. Never had an idea of that. Now every time I feel that my jars are tight, I release and let the stiffness go. Later I found out that my dentist was very happy with this. Obviously, you can get into big teeth problems when your jars are tightly closed, something to do with the pressure of the teeth on each other. All things in our body are happening or not happening for a reason.
🔹 Mindfulness is already within you!
It’s not something you acquire—it’s something you rediscover! May be it is tucked away and you have to dig, but with practice, you train your brain to stay present, make thoughtful choices, and embrace life with intention and kindness. You will be a kind version of yourself to others in your family or others. Who doesn’t want that?
Be curious, is one of the things mindfulness is teaching, be curious without being judgemental. Start small in a relaxed place and find out how it could help you too.
The environment of Casa da Lima, the retreat atmosphere, the Portuguese sun, nature and mountains surrounding our place make it a valuable and good experience. Much better than when it is recommended by your family doctor, and you need to sit behind the computer for an online course, or you need to be somewhere where you don’t like to be, at that moment.
Start small. – Retreat!
Stay consistent. – Practise daily!
Watch the transformation happen. – Feel space for other thoughts!
A couch one time said to our group:
Just take your 15 minutes in the morning for a mindful exercise or a breathing session. It will make you a friendlier person during the day. You’ll benefit but also your family will be grateful!
On Monday, Thursday, Friday I will practice mindful exercises in the morning around 9:00-9:45 in Rabacal. Let me know if you like to join for a half hour of ‘body scan’! A nice activity to start your day, or to rest for a while you walking to Fatima or Santiago de Compostela!
