Mindfulness Around The World: What Different Cultures Can Teach Us About the Art of Being Present

When you hear the words “Mindfulness” and “Meditation,” you probably imagine a person sitting in a quiet, empty room with their legs crossed and their eyes closed.

And let’s be honest: that sounds pretty boring.

You likely have your doubts that downloading a mediation app or spending 5 minutes a day sitting with your thoughts will “transform” your mental health. 

While these practices are popular for a reason — they do help calm and focus the mind — a common misconception is that this type of activity is the only way to meditate and achieve mindfulness.

Redefining mindfulness 

In reality, mindfulness is simply defined as being fully present in the moment and aware of what you’re experiencing, without letting yourself get lost in or judging your thoughts or emotions.

Meditation has many definitions, but most simply, it is training the mind to achieve a state of focus and mindfulness. 

The best part? 

There are many, many ways to achieve mindfulness and add a bit more calm and clarity to your day — without sitting in a weird pose in an eerily quiet room. 

Mindfulness is being fully present in the moment without getting lost in or judging your thoughts or emotions. 

Mindfulness practices from different cultures and what we can learn from them 

To illustrate this, we thought it would be enlightening to share some of the different interpretations of mindfulness from various cultures and traditions around the world!

We’ll also include some takeaways that can help us understand mindfulness and implement it in our own lives. 

Fika in Sweden 

“Fika” translates to a “coffee and cake break,” but it’s about more than a sweet treat. The concept of Fika is to take a break (this can be any time of day!) to socialize with friends or family and share coffee and a snack — a chance to pause, recharge, and connect. 

Takeaways:

Reaching out and connecting with people throughout your day is important for your wellbeing… but it doesn’t have to be a big, complicated event. Taking time to mindfully eat and drink allows you to be present in the moment and appreciate your food, taking your mind off of stress and anxiety while nourishing your body. 

Today, consider:

• Planning a lunch date with a friend for a day this week 

• Calling a long-distance friend or family member and catching up while you eat breakfast 

• Making your meal into an experience, even if you’re on your own, by arranging it on the plate like at a restaurant, pausing to appreciate just how far each element of your meal has traveled to be on your plate, and savoring each bite instead of letting your mind wander

Ngoma in Central and Southern Africa

Ngoma is a tradition in Central and Southern Africa that uses rhythm and dance to bring people together, provide social support, and address difficult issues. A spiritual leader typically runs the session, and drums are used to keep the beat. The ultimate purpose is to heal the body and the mind with movement and music. 

Takeaways:

The mindfulness practices you’ve likely heard of involve sitting still and being quiet, but sound and movement can bring you into the present moment too! A study showed that a modified version of this practice led to improvements in depression, anxiety, emotional well-being, and social functioning in the participants. (Link to study)

So, if you’re in need of a way to get out of your head or release some anger and frustration…

Today, consider:

• Learning a new dance with a friend (or even with your dog in your room — he’ll enjoy the quality time even if he has no idea what’s happening!)

• Playing an instrument (this one is hard to start but extremely satisfying once you learn a good song!)

• Just putting on your favorite song and moving to the beat — no fancy dance moves required!

Cacao Ceremonies in Costa Rica

As the cacao plant originated in South America, spreading to Central America and Mexico, so did many traditions surrounding it. In Costa Rica, cacao ceremonies are often spiritual, healing activities and involve many people gathering to drink cacao and connect more deeply with themselves and each other. 

Takeaways:

While the cacao we eat in chocolate treats isn’t exactly a health food, these ceremonies originated partly due to the nutritional benefits of the cacao plant itself. That being said, taking time to simultaneously nourish your body and connect with people can boost your mental and physical health. 

While hosting your own cacao ceremony probably isn’t realistic…

Today, consider:

• Creating a tradition of drinking coffee or tea (or hot chocolate!) with your partner in the morning 

• Inviting a couple friends or family members over to cook a nutritious dinner and enjoy it together 

• Bringing some chocolates to enjoy with friends or coworkers at lunch

Laughter Yoga in India

This practice may sound a bit silly, but it’s a great way to “trick” your brain into feeling happier.

In laughter yoga you do exercises that require fake laughing because voluntarily laughing provides the same benefits to the brain as genuinely laughing.

For example, one exercise involves shaking your hands while repeating “he he he,” “ho ho ho” and “ha ha ha.” It may sound a bit ridiculous, but that fake laughter turns into real laughter quicker than you think — especially when you’re laughing along with a jolly instructor on YouTube. 

Takeaways:

Encouraging yourself to smile and laugh even when you aren’t in a humorous mood can ground you in the present moment and relieve stress.

Today, consider:

• Smiling to yourself and laughing when something small makes you happy, even if it doesn’t prompt you to naturally laugh

• Forcing yourself to laugh at the next minor inconvenience you experience — pretend you’re watching a comedy about someone who just knocked a whole jar of pens onto the floor

• Watching this video if you have 5 minutes to yourself (or with another person — you might laugh even more!): Five minutes instructional laughter yoga video with Dr Madan Kataria

Forest Bathing in Japan

Forest bathing, also known as shinrin-yoku, is the concept of spending time in nature to experience calm, mindfulness, and a break from our technology-filled life. 

Takeaways:

If you've been feeling unmotivated, anxious, or burnt out, some physical movement and time in nature might be what you need to relax and refocus. 

Today, consider:

• Taking a walk at the local park and noticing how it feels to be so small in comparison to the vast ecosystem 

• Getting a bird feeder for your backyard and spending a few minutes watching the wildlife 

• Choosing outdoor seating the next time you go out for lunch or dinner. Even if you’re in a downtown area, many restaurants find a way to incorporate flowers and trees in their outdoor spaces.

Keyif in Turkey

A skill forgotten by most of us in today’s world, Keyif refers to “meaningful idleness” — intentionally seeking out moments of doing nothing. The point is to enjoy a moment of pleasure, fully take it in, and really separate it from the busy rhythm of the day. 

Takeaway:

It’s ok to pause and just be without having to engage in an activity! It may take a few practices to train your mind to be fully present, but the more often you do it the easier it’ll become.

Today, consider:

• Watching the sunset from your back porch or window

• Getting on the floor to enjoy a moment with your pet 

• Observing a piece of artwork in or near your home in more detail than you have before, allowing yourself to get lost in the colors and shapes

Your mindfulness journey 

These diverse cultures show us that every day there are opportunities to pause and ground our minds in the present, savoring the small things that give life meaning and joy. 

This week, challenge yourself to take inspiration from these mindfulness traditions and become a little more aware in each moment — maybe making the effort to reach out to others, or maybe connecting more deeply with yourself in a moment of peace and quiet. 

One final note 

There are many things you can do on your own to be calmer and happier. However, if your anxiety, stress, or depression feel unmanageable and mindfulness is challenging for you, consider reaching out to a therapist. 

A therapist can help you on your mindfulness journey and provide a safe space to be present with your thoughts and emotions. Connect with us and find out how individualized therapy, tailored to your specific needs and goals, can help you feel your best!

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