Mindfulness is a practical exercise for anyone seeking the calm and peacefulness associated with living in the moment. Building a mindfulness practice can be done in countless ways, including using mindfulness cards.
There are a variety of mindfulness cards you can purchase, whether you are brand new to the concept or have been practicing for years. The top choice for a straightforward mindfulness card set is Mindfulness Cards: Simple Practices for Everyday Life. Though, there are many other card sets on the market to consider as they encourage mindfulness principles in many creative and inspiring ways.
Mindfulness cards are packed with inspiration as well as practical exercises or games that cultivate mindfulness in everyday life. Anyone who wants to bring awareness to the present moment will enjoy pulling a mindfulness card with an inspiring phrase, idea or exercise. You can use mindfulness cards in several ways. Some people place mindfulness cards around their home or office as a reminder to be present. Others pull mindfulness cards from the deck every day, week or randomly to gain insight and as a mindful exercise. Mindfulness cards can be the basis of whole mindfulness practice in itself. However, there are several other avenues to explore when setting the intention to become more mindful.
Human beings benefit from being fully present in the current moment. Often, thoughts about the future or remembering the past bring up unwanted feelings. You cannot change the past, and the future is uncertain. However, when living in the present moment, you can feel a sense of calm, neither living in the past and viewing the future as open with possibilities.
It is believed in part by some experts that mindfulness works because it helps people accept their experiences. Acceptance happens when people are open to feeling their emotions, both good and bad, without avoiding or overreacting to those feelings. Ideally, mindfulness practice allows individuals to let their feelings pass without judgment or attachment to their meaning. Mindfulness has become an increasingly popular tool that complements meditation or psychotherapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy. This is because mindfulness, meditation and CBT share the common goal of gaining perspective on maladaptive, irrational and self-defeating thoughts.
Building a mindfulness practice is beneficial for everyone in the family. In fact, there are many reasons children benefit from mindful experiences. Teachers, parents and extended family often consider mindfulness to benefit whatever role they play in their kids’ lives. For this reason, there are various mindfulness focuses, such as mindful parenting or mindful coaching. The basis for mindful exercises, such as mindful parenting, centers around modeling effective ways to deal with conflict or stressful situations. When a child sees an adult model mindful practices, then that child often becomes more mindful. To practice mindfulness with the whole family, focus on being intensely aware of feelings without interpretation or judgment. You can accomplish this by engaging in breathing exercises, guided imagery or other relaxation techniques as a family.
There are several ways you can use prompts to inspire mindfulness. Often mindfulness cards will include prompts that are useful conversion starters or journaling topics. The goal of a mindful prompt is to boost self-awareness by giving inspiring topics to consider.
Here are a couple of suggested ways to use mindfulness card prompts:
A key component of mindfulness cards is mindful exercises. Similar to physical exercise, where the body becomes stronger with frequent exercise, our minds become more mindful with frequent mindfulness exercises. There are a variety of mindfulness exercises commonly included in a set of mindfulness cards.
Look for a deck of mindfulness cards that includes exercises such as:
One of the most common reasons mindfulness cards are purchased is as a stress-reduction tool. Mindfulness can make it easier to savor life's pleasures and allows us to become more fully engaged in daily activities. If stress reduction is the goal, look for a set of mindfulness cards that focuses on creating a greater capacity to deal with life's adverse events. It would also be beneficial to purchase mindfulness cards designed to build self-esteem and deeper connections with others.
A deck of mindfulness cards will cost anywhere $5-$25 depending upon the designer and artistic detail.
A. Mindfulness is a form of meditation with the goal of practitioners becoming aware and present in the moment. Several types of meditation are rooted in different spiritual and philosophical traditions.
A. While it is beneficial to practice mindfulness every day, it is not a necessity. What is most important is the goal to become aware of one's surroundings without judgment. Many find that the more often they practice mindfulness, the easier this goal becomes.
Mindfulness Cards: Simple Practices for Everyday Life
What you need to know: A deck of cards filled with more than 50 prompts and exercises broken down into four color-coded mindfulness categories of rest and balance, insight and awareness, curiosity and joy and kindness.
What you’ll love: You can draw single cards daily to set intentions or you can pull several cards for a more complex reading.
What you should consider: The small white lettering on a pale background may be difficult to read
Where to buy: Amazon and Uncommon Goods
A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Card Deck
What you need to know: This is a portable, 52-card deck that offers easy and effective mindfulness-based stress reduction practices you can use anytime.
What you’ll love: All practices are from the self-help classic, A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook distills the information into bite-sized meditations.
What you should consider: It is highly recommended that you purchase the workbook along with the cards.
Where to buy: Amazon
What you need to know: This set includes 45 individually designed cards to increase wellbeing, broken down into five categories of kindness, ritual, gratitude, journal and reflection.
What you’ll love: This can be gifted to others or used as part of a personal self-care practice.
What you should consider: Some customers report longer shipping times.
Where to buy: Etsy
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Elizabeth Foley writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
