These days, it’s easy to get distracted and overwhelmed by life’s never ending to-do list. For many of us, it often seems more intuitive to feel stressed than at ease. Luckily, there are ways to combat this and take time to be truly present in the moment. Many people have started to recognize the importance of mindfulness, and how valuable it can be to take even 10 minutes a day to focus your awareness and rest racing thoughts. In addition to granting yourself the space to simply feel calm and tune into the present, creating a practice of mindfulness also provides lasting effects that are highly beneficial to the brain. Research has found that mindfulness can alter the operating system of the mind and change how we engage with ourselves, others, and our work. When practiced and applied, mindfulness fundamentally alters the operating system of the mind.

Why is mindfulness important for human connection?

Mindfulness also plays a key role in human connection. Many mindfulness practices highlight the idea that we’re all connected — through common human emotions, the experiences we all share, and the gift of us all simply existing on the planet together. Martin Buber examines this in his book I and Thou. He emphasizes that human life finds its meaningfulness in relationships, and that we should treat people in our lives with mutuality, reciprocity, and an open mind. As humans, we aren’t fixed in existence like objects. For Buber, it’s important to acknowledge that human connections are living relationships. It’s about engaging in a dialogue encompassing each other’s whole being, instead of perceiving one another through specific, isolated qualities.

Connecting through Dan Siegel’s Wheel of Awareness

Similarly, Dan Siegel explores human connection in his Wheel of Awareness meditation as well. He believes it’s crucial to nurture both our inner and interpersonal selves, and link them with compassionate care. Part of our identity is the interconnectedness we feel to others; we’re more than just a “me” and a “we.” He links the two aspects of our identity and thinks of this interconnectedness as “MWe” — an integrated way of being in the world. At Weave the People, we partake in this meditation weekly to remind ourselves how important human connection is.

Want to learn more about mindfulness, our connected identity and who we are?

Let Paul—our founder and CEO—share his insights with you.