By Nancy Stoops

Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

It’s a very exciting time to be alive.  I love the fact that so very many of us are going back to yoga and meditation, and looking within for our own answers.

There seems to be this search for peacefulness and contentment.  There are whole new sections in the bookstores devoted to self-help.  Many of these books teach meditation and act as guides for teaching the whole concept of being mindful or present.

Let me start by explaining the whole concept.  If we think about somebody truly being present, they are what we refer to as, “being in the moment.”

There is nothing else going on in your mind and you are totally focused on what you are doing and saying.  You’re not thinking about what you need to do next or where you need to be; you just exist in that moment.  Think about the last time you were able to do this, or if you really ever have.

Meditation helps us totally clear our minds, and helps us be mindful.  If we can learn to keep our minds uncluttered, we will become much more effective human beings.  We will feel every aspect of our lives and begin to appreciate even the simplest things.

I recently attended a conference on mindfulness, and was told how much research is being done around the subject of meditation. It is being used to help people deal with pain, lower blood pressure, help with prevention for heart attacks and many other stress-related illnesses, give hope and strength to the terminally ill, and many other ways as well.

If you could find something that would improve the quality of your life and didn’t cost you a dime, wouldn’t it be foolish not to at least try it?

This article was written by Nancy Stoops M.A., M.F.T. Nancy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has a private practice in Diamond Bar and is currently accepting new clients. Nancy is also a motivational speaker who can inspire your employees or group members. She runs free family support groups, a group on loss for seniors, and groups on how to manage anger. For more information about any of these services, feel free to contact Nancy at (909) 229-0727; or you may e-mail her at stoopsshecter@earthlink.net. You may purchase Nancy’s books, Live Heal and Grow and Midnight the Therapy Dog at Amazon.com.