3 Places to Practice Mindfulness near Honolulu, HI
Mindfulness for anxiety, depression, trauma, and other stressors involves being aware of the present moment without judgment. This can include being aware of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and five senses. Mindfulness allows you to focus on what’s going on in the present moment without being caught up in the past or future.
When thoughts or feelings from the past or future arise, you simply notice them and practice letting them go. It can be helpful to imagine placing those thoughts or feelings on a cloud or in a body of water and visualizing them coming and going.
Mindfulness doesn’t take up a lot of time and can be practiced on a daily basis with simple activities, such as mindful eating, mindful walking, mindfully listening to music, and mindfully observing art. Research has shown that mindfulness practices can help to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma.
Here in Honolulu, HI there are so many beautiful opportunities to practice mindfulness. In this blog, we’ll share our 3 favorite places on Oahu to practice mindful awareness.
Watching the Sunset on Waikiki Beach
Waikiki is one of the most popular places on Oahu that is buzzing with life! There seems to be never-ending options for entertainment such as shopping, food, shows, water activities, and numerous tourist attractions. These activities can be very stimulating and exciting, but if you’re looking to slow down and take in the beauty of Oahu, we recommend taking time to practice a brief mindfulness activity, which is to watch the sunset on Waikiki Beach.
Waikiki Beach offers some of the most spectacular sunsets on Oahu.
To practice this mindfulness activity, we recommend going to the beach right before the sun sets – grab a tasty meal or snack, sip on your favorite beverage, and lay out a towel or sit down on a beach chair. Once you’re settled in, take a moment to watch as the sun goes down and the sky changes color. Pay attention to all the small details such as:
The colors of the sky
The temperature of the air
The breeze on your skin
The sand on your body
And the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore
This brief mindfulness practice will help you find peace even in the midst of the lively Waikiki atmosphere. If you want to take it to another level, you could even go for an evening swim to cool off and refresh as you watch the sunset in the background. We hope you leave feeling an increased sense of calm and peace after this experience.
2. Swimming at Waimānalo Beach
Waimānalo Beach is the longest beach on Oahu (around 3 miles). It’s about 6 miles south of Kailua, and a little over 15 miles east of downtown Honolulu. The entire beach consists of uninterrupted powdery golden sand and turquoise blue waters. It is also one of the more private beaches on the island with few tourists, which makes it an ideal place to practice mindfulness. We highly recommend checking out this beach.
Bring a towel or chair and take time to soak in some natural vitamin D from the sun - don’t forget to wear sunscreen!
Pay attention to the warm rays of the sun heating up your body and the light breeze blowing across your skin. Listen to the palm trees swaying in the wind behind you and smell the fresh ocean air. Once you are relaxed and your body is warm, it’s time to swim! As you walk to the water feel your feet and toes sink into the soft sand. As you get to the water, feel the cool water come over your feet and pay attention to the water washing over your feet. As you begin to immerse yourself into the water, consider taking it slow and feel the water touch each part of your body from the tips of your toes all the way up to the top of your head. Notice how your body feels and how your breathing changes as you immerse yourself in the water. Pay attention to any emotions that come up for you (i.e. relaxed, excited, joyful, relieved) and notice where you feel those emotions in your body (i.e. your hands, feet, chest, belly). Allow yourself to enjoy these various sensations and most importantly have fun!
3. Walking at Ala Moana Regional Park
Ala Moana Regional Park in Honolulu is an amazing place for an afternoon walk. It’s located a little over 1.5 miles west of Waikiki and 0.5 miles east of Kaka’ako. Ala Moana Regional Park has both a park and beach where you can walk, run, roller skate, bike, skateboard, and/or swim. It also has multiple walking paths surrounded by many luscious trees and expansive ocean views. You can also watch surfers catching some waves and notice people parasailing in the distance. As you walk around the park, we recommend not wearing shoes if possible, so that you can feel your feet connect to the Earth and experience the different terrains. This mindfulness practice is called Earthing or grounding.
We often wear shoes for multiple hours a day and Earthing or grounding allows us to reconnect to the Earth and absorb the Earth’s natural energy and nutrients. Notice how your feet feel as you walk on the concrete, grass, dirt, sand, and water. Pay attention to any emotions that come up for you as you step onto these different terrains. Listen to what you hear around you, such as children laughing, music, waves hitting the shore, the breeze blowing, etc. Find a space that you feel most connected to and find a place to sit whether that is on the grass, sand, or on a bench. Notice all of your five senses – what you see, hear, feel, taste and smell. Pay close attention to how your body feels and any emotions that come up for you as you notice your senses. Allow yourself to soak in the present moment and just “be.”
Begin Anxiety Treatment and Learn More About Mindfulness for Anxiety in Honolulu, HI!
We hope you enjoyed these mindfulness practices and find them beneficial for your daily life. Mindfulness takes practice and patience, so take your time exploring your favorite mindfulness practices. Even if you don’t live in Honolulu, you can practice these same mindfulness techniques around the world! Our team would be happy to help you use mindfulness for anxiety. To start your therapy journey with Milk & Honey Therapy, please follow these simple steps:
Meet with a caring anxiety and mindfulness therapist
Start learning new mindfulness techniques for peace of mind!
Other Services Offered with Milk & Honey Therapy
Anxiety treatment isn’t the only service our team offers. We are happy to offer a variety of services in support of your mental health in person in Hawaii and online across North Carolina. We are happy to support children, teens, and young adults. Other mental health services offered include PTSD and trauma treatment, depression treatment, and play therapy. We also offer EMDR therapy, faith-based therapy, ADHD treatment, and therapy for athletes. Please visit our blog or learn about our team for more information!
