I have been practicing mindfulness for about 10 years. It is essentially the practice of paying attention, usually to your breath. You can sit, lay down be on the train, there is never a bad time to be mindful. It can give relief to an immediate stressful situation, however over the long term you wake up one day and realize you are calmer, happier, lighter...
This is an interesting article from the WSJ on the benefits of practicing mindfulness meditation by school children.
Living in NYC is very stressful to say the least and certainly our children have a lot on their plates as they navigate the city, play dates, school, clubs, sports and friendships etc. I think many of the stresses build up slowly over time, years of exposure to the sights, situations and sounds of city life. It can take a toll on you both physically and emotionally (and you may not even be aware of it). I would become very aware of it on our trips to Costa Rica. After a day there I felt as if a heavy coat had been removed from my entire being!
What initially drew me in was the science behind it, I think it was a study done by Harvard researchers on the brains of Buddhist monks in Tibet. They learned some things that were thought not possible regarding brain function.
Finding and actually closing on a home in this market, mindfulness may be a worthwhile consideration! Even my beloved, yet not very mindful mother would say "Breathe" Keith.
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