Here are 5 tips to help get you started with Mindfulness meditation in your everyday life:
Be in the "present" moment. Don't think about yesterday, tonight, or tomorrow—think about right now. How do you feel right now? What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear? Use all your senses to be "present".
Be aware of your where you are emotionally and physically and appreciate the beauty of this moment and whatever senses you are using to further observe it. Simply put, Mindfulness is about "taking time to smell the roses." So smell them—and smell them with attention to detail!
Be aware of your mind/body connection. How does your body feel right at this moment? If you're walking, focus on one limb like your foot. How does your foot feel? Can you feel your toes? Do they fell heavy or light?
Be aware of your mind. Is it wondering? Am I really focused on the present moment?
I highly recommend picking up the audiobook, Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Kabat-Zinn is often considered to be the "Father of Mindfulness" and is a must for anyone looking to learn more about Mindfulness.
Other tips:
1. Be comfortable in a quiet place. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. To get started, it doesn’t matter whether you sit or lay down as long as you are comfortable. You can sit cross-legged, on the floor, or on a chair. If you can sit erect, then great. If not, it’s just important to have your body in a somewhat stable position. Then have the palms of your hands face the sky.
2. Become "present", i.e., become totally aware of your current surroundings. What do you hear? How does it feel to sit? Do you feel tension in a specific body part? Where are your thoughts? Are your thoughts running? (That’s perfectly fine, it happens to the meditation pros, too). Just try to sit and "smell the roses" as best you can.
3. Focus on your breath. Breath, breath, breath. Meditation (and yoga for that matter), is all about the breath. Try to take long and deep breaths, and feel your breath move throughout your body — from your lungs and out through your nostrils or your throat. (Breathing through your nostrils is better though either will work). Your mind will wonder (which is okay), just try your best to be as focused as possible. And as meditation guru, Sharon Salzberg always says, "bring it back to the breath."
4. Feel your body. Once you’re focused, take notice of your body and how each body part feels. Start with the toes and work your way up to your head. If your mind continues to wonder then bring your thoughts back to your breath. Breath 5-10 times with full concentration on each breath. Take it a step further and hum “Om” as you breathe out if you feel like it. If not, no biggie.
Information courtesy of http://www.mindbodygreen.com/
2. Become "present", i.e., become totally aware of your current surroundings. What do you hear? How does it feel to sit? Do you feel tension in a specific body part? Where are your thoughts? Are your thoughts running? (That’s perfectly fine, it happens to the meditation pros, too). Just try to sit and "smell the roses" as best you can.
3. Focus on your breath. Breath, breath, breath. Meditation (and yoga for that matter), is all about the breath. Try to take long and deep breaths, and feel your breath move throughout your body — from your lungs and out through your nostrils or your throat. (Breathing through your nostrils is better though either will work). Your mind will wonder (which is okay), just try your best to be as focused as possible. And as meditation guru, Sharon Salzberg always says, "bring it back to the breath."
4. Feel your body. Once you’re focused, take notice of your body and how each body part feels. Start with the toes and work your way up to your head. If your mind continues to wonder then bring your thoughts back to your breath. Breath 5-10 times with full concentration on each breath. Take it a step further and hum “Om” as you breathe out if you feel like it. If not, no biggie.
Information courtesy of http://www.mindbodygreen.com/
