Learning to Breathe

Mindfulness is close to becoming a buzzword.  A quick scroll through the Google Play store shows that there are 100+ Android apps available on meditation.  And, some are even using it to get ahead

Regardless, it's a good practice.   It's linked to lower stress and greater happiness -- a pretty sweet deal, right?

Mindfulness actually has several definitions (according to wikipedia):

According to various prominent psychological definitions, Mindfulness refers to a psychological quality that involves one of these: 

• bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis,  

•  paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally,  

• a kind of nonelaborative, nonjudgmental, present-centered awareness in which each thought, feeling, or sensation that arises in the attentional field is acknowledged and accepted as it is

As previously posted, I went on a 2-day silent meditation retreat in Thailand to practice mindfulness and learned one thing -- it's really f*ing hard.

That's why I like SCUBA diving.  

You're forced to be mindful.  The only way to control your body in the water is by breathing.

Want to go further down?  Breathe out more
Want to go up?  Breathe in more 
Want to stop freaking out that some gear is the only thing keeping you alive?  Breathe slower

I say forget the phone app.  Go diving instead.

PS - Here's some photos from my most recent diving trip to Puerto Galera, Philippines.