Core Mindfulness skills are a set of skills designed to bring my thoughts and feelings into the here and now, in order to free me from the pain and distress of the past, and the anxieties and fears for the future. This challenge for the emotionally sensitive person is similar to that of 'mind reading'. I constantly make assumptions about what other people are thinking about me, mostly because I am mixing them up with people who hurt me in the past.
When I am feeling vulnerable I am at risk of slipping back into the past and reliving its hurts or of shifting myself into the future in anticipation of those hurts and injuries being repeated. Any thoughtful examination of our existence in terms of time and space tells me that the only time and space I am capable of occupying is the space around me right now and the present moment, as I am aware of it. When I dwell in the past or future in my thoughts, then I allow the present to slip past me unheeded and unlived. So, I need to use all of my senses to remind me of the good things in the here and now and, slowly, as I heal to begin to enjoy them for what they are.
This picture captures the essence of life in the moment. It was shared on Pinterest by Healing for BPD and I have found it helpful in reminding me to use my mindfulness exercises when memories from the past or fears about the future flood into my mind.
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