So where does farming come in to this discussion?

Okay, so this blog is for one of my college classes, The Farm in Literature. I have really enjoyed getting to researd and learn about mindfulness. This is something that I have started to practice in my own life and I can feel a difference in my levels of happiness and peace. Practicing mindfulness even for only a few minutes a day can change your perspective and awareness of the world around us.

So what does this have to do with the farm in Literature? Well, it has been a challenge to make the connection between mindfulness and farming. My recent research has lead me to a website page that has me wanting to travel to Thialand as soon as I can. This website is for a place called Mindful Farm near Chiang Mai in Thailand. http://www.mindfulfarmers.org

This farm is run by a "retired" monk, his wife and daughter. The "farmhands" are volunteers. The volunteers come from all over the world to work this farm with the monk and his family! While there the volunteers get to learn about organic farming, vegetarian cooking, and mindfulness. They have a schedule that has them doing yoga, working the land, preparing the food, selling food at a farmers market, and meditating each day.

Some day I will go here and learn from this mindful farm! Then MAYBE I can bring the practice back here to Utah and teach others.

Word Jumble?

I saw this word jumble, as it is called, and really enjoyed the feelings that it gave me! I have always loved the written word, whether in book, letter, or word art format. This is a collection of word art that describes Mindfulness! I have been reading a lot about Mindfulness lately and have read these words many times each, but to have them all together like this is very satisfying. I have always loved reading things that have different fonts and different colors and different orientations.

I don't know how many of you have heard of (or read) the "Geronimo Stilton" Books (Children's Literature), but I loved reading them to my children when they were younger because they have different fonts and colors in them! That makes reading exciting to me! Here is a sample page:

(this picture is from an article on this webpage https://www.tulsaworld.com/blogs/scene/becauseisaidso/because-i-said-so-for-the-love-of-geronimo-stilton/article_999dd330-c93c-5c76-9b5b-3ffc49de277d.html)

Isn't that  just fun to read?!

I like how the first word on this word jumble is Mindfulness and it is at the top a little bit above all of the others! That's because all of the other words are there to describe (or support) the word mindfulness! Each of these words bring a thought or feeling to the forefront as you read them and each of them are important words for practicing Mindfulness!

I found this word jumble in a blog post on the website https://www.yellowwellies.org/how-mindfulness-can-help-farmers/ and really enjoyed the blog post! There are many words in this jumble that relate to farming! A couple of my favorites are GRATITUDE and PRODUCTIVITY. What are your's?

A (Very) Brief History of Mindfulness

Mindfulness has been practiced for thousands of years. It originated in the Far East where Hinduism and Buddhism originated, but they aren't the only religion who have practiced Mindfulness. But the Mindfulness that came from Hinduism and Buddhism were based more on religion. The mindfulness movement that has been sweeping the Western part of the globe has been more secular in nature. One reason that the Mindfulness movement came to the United States is because of Jon Kabatt-Zinn who founded the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is also the developer of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, which is an 8 week program for anyone who wants to reduce their stress. This program has sparked numerous other programs around the county, like the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy which can be used to treat Major Depressive Disorder and other issues.

This has really caught on as more and more people are diagnosed with depression issues and other issues, such as anxiety. I know that as I have had the "opportunity" to deal with depression and anxiety that my recent experimenting with Mindfulness has really helped my overcome the "funks" that I seem to get into. I also like to use Mindfulness when I am experiencing something new, so that I can get the most out of the experience. My favorite time for Mindfulness has been when I am in nature. It connects me to the World around me and helps me relax and renew. This is why I think that Mindfulness and Farming could be a great combination.

Mindfulness in Farming...Really?

What is MINDFULNESS? What does it have to do with FARMING? Honestly, I don't know yet! That's what I plan to find out and share on this blog. I am in an English class this semester that focuses on the Farm in Literature. This past week we read some of Henry David Thoreau's work. I really enjoyed the way that he wrote about his bean field in Walden. Now that's a man who practiced mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the awareness of the present moment and making decisions based on this awareness. Thoreau has a way of focusing on the present, as shown in his writing about the Bean Field. This has inspired me to seek a connection between farming and mindfulness. Please stay tuned and follow my progress...