It was both an honour and a pleasure to be able to spend time with the surgeons of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital over the last 4 weeks.
Even though the doctors are very pressed for time and experience an extremely stressful environment, they turned up for their sessions with me. Showing up cannot be overlooked. It is an important part of learning to be present in one’s body. It is the first step to immersion and learning. I thank them for allowing me to share my journey.
Mindfulness was on of the key items on the agenda. It plays a crucial role in all that we do daily.
So what is mindfulness?
“It is a state of being” , “It is a Mental state achieved by awareness in the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting ones feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”
The qualities are: intention, attention and attitude.
What do we want to achieve?
Emotional regulation; introspection; sense of self; inner & outer awareness; and pain tolerance, being in the moment.
Stress causes us to detach from ourselves, and we often find ourselves either being distant, or snapping out at others.
One of the most useful ways to deal with these negative qualities is by doing taiji; chi gong in conjunction with guided deep breathing.
Well done to all the Doctors who took part, and a special thanks to Professor Martin Smith, academic head of surgery at Bara.
Written by Sifu Leo Ming, August 2022
If you would like Sifu to run some sessions with your team, please contact us.