The month of Ramadan has finally begun, and people have begun to become more in touch with their spirituality. During Ramadan, Muslims fast and pray to become closer to God as well as gather with friends and family to celebrate and come closer together. Not only is Ramadan a month of finding peace and faith in God, but also finding peace with yourself. Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts and feelings, and it is great to practice during the holy month.
Mindfulness While Praying
An important mindfulness exercise to consider during the month of Ramadan is that of participation. In mindfulness, participating means being in tune with the activity, and only the activity in which you are participating in. Whilst praying, it is important to only focus on your prayer and your faith in God. Some even say, if your mind begins to wander in prayer than it does not count. It is extremely important to stay mindful while praying and focus on the prayer itself and the worship of God (Allah).
Mindfulness While Fasting
Many believe that the only way to break your fast is through the consumption of food or drink, but in fact, there are other ways in which your fast can be broken or may not count according to Islam – one of which is the lack of self-control in terms of your emotional behavior.
Fasting is considered a peaceful exercise in which Muslims partake in during the holy month, and if that peace is broken through anger, rage, or verbal dispute with an event or another party, this can break your fast. Hence, it is important to stay mindful while fasting.
A beneficial exercise to partake in when experiencing these feelings of anger and distress is a mindfulness technique called ‘Wise Mind’. Simply draw a ven diagram and list your emotional responses, and your logical responses and come up with the ‘Wise Mind’ statement – a clear and concise combination of your feelings and a responsible reaction.
Mindfulness While Gathering
Ramadan is a time in which family and friends gather together and celebrate the holy month. This can become exhausting – especially for those introverts out there! We get it, and rather than encouraging you to participate, we have another exercise for you.
Mindfulness exercises can last however long you need them to, whether it’s one minute, or one hour – so, take some time to yourself. You can simply go to a different room and just take a breather, or you can do a specific mindfulness exercise to feel at peace.
For example – observe. Pick a random object in the room you excused yourself to and really look at it and observe all the details of it without making any judgments. This exercise seems simple, but it actually shifts your focus and can really help ease your nerves before going back into a loud or crowded room.