Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation inspires the practitioner to observe wandering thoughts as they drift through the mind. Mindfulness allows you to go under the surface level of moment-to-moment life experience, which is covered with emotions, to clearly see the truth of what is happening. By bringing our complete attention to the present moment, we are able to detach ourselves from our feelings surrounding low mood or concern.
Mindfulness says we can do better. At one level, the techniques related to the philosophy are intended to help practitioners quiet a busy mind, becoming more aware of the present moment and less caught up in what happened earlier or what's to come. Many cognitive therapists commend it to patients as a way to help cope with anxiety and depression. More broadly, it's seen as a means to deal with stress.
How to practice Mindfulness Meditation
Start paying attention to a single object, like a raisin or a penny, to show us that we are all capable of “focusing our dispersed minds.” Then starts focusing closely during an activity in our daily lives.
The goal of this practice is to avoid simultaneously thinking into the future or living in the past, but keeping our attention entirely in the present while eating a meal, say, or having a conversation with our partner. After these awareness exercises we can move to body-awareness exercises, and eventually to awareness exercises during sex. These may include synchronized breathing, gazing into one-another’s eyes, quiet, focused touching and massage.
Keeping our sexuality active in our minds, building a closer emotional context for sex in our relationships, and quieting the distractions when we are ready to have sex—this is good sexual medicine.
Learning about and practicing mindfulness in your everyday life is the first step.
Emotions are one of the main things to become aware of while practicing mindfulness. Emotions can be challenging and make us easily lose focus. So we are giving you some tips to provide a good starting point to learn the foundation of mindfulness.
Relaxed attention
Whether you’re feeling bored, sad, irritated, angry or frustrated give relaxed attention to the emotion, as if you were watching an outsider.
Repeat a positive affirmation
The focus on the repetition is a mindful practice and has the added benefit of making you feel more positive.
Listen to people
Even if the person who’s talking to you is the most boring person you’ve ever met, they offer a perfect situation to practice a mindful conversation. Instead of thinking about and arbitrating what they are saying try mindfully listening to them, give relaxed attention to what they are saying.
Look at people
A great way to improve a relationship is by focusing on someone and really looking at them. Make eye contact but softly allow your eyes to move away from their face sometimes. Try looking without judgement.
Focus on the moment
There are plenty of ways to do this. But a basic tip is to stop comparing the present with the past and to focus on what’s good in the moment. It might be as simple as being appreciative for your morning coffee or for the good weather. It could also be as simple as focusing your attention on a task you’re doing.
Objects
Placing your focus on something that isn’t yourself can be an easy mindfulness tool. Like focusing on the breath, placing attention on a glass or a blade of grass can bring us into the moment. Every time the mind wanders bring it back to the object until reaching a place of calm.
Focus on the body
A great element of mindfulness is that you don’t even need to stop what you’re doing to practice it. Whether it’s the tap of your fingers on the keyboard, the posture of your back as you sit at your desk or the placement of your feet on the floor, you can gently bring your attention to your physical sensations. This will stop your mind from spiraling into the future or from over-analyzing what you’re doing.
Eating
Eating is an everyday activity so it goes without saying that mindful eating can change your day. However, to begin with, it can be hard to eat an entire meal mindfully. Start with a snack. A piece of fruit or even a glass of water. If you concentrate and focus your attention, your mind will be calmed. There have even been studies that suggest mindful eating can help with weight loss. Give relaxed attention to feelings of hunger, thirst or overeating.
Morning habits
Your mindful morning practice might be intention and focus while you drink your coffee. Or it could be while brushing your teeth you focus on the sensation of brushing.
Other activities
There are so many activities that are easy to do while being mindful like gardening, drawing and brushing your hair. These types of activities are much easier than when having a conversation.
Get back to nature
Get out in nature – maybe even take your shoes off. The sensation of the ground has become unfamiliar to most of us, so the physical sensations of it can really bring us into the present moment.
At work
Even behind a computer, it’s easy to be mindful. Focus on breathing for a minute or become conscious of your body.
Create a calm corner
This is your own special place so make it however you want. It could just be a comfy chair, a windowsill with a great view or a spot under your favorite tree, it doesn’t matter. What is important is that you establish this place as the place where you are mindful. Try not to do anything else in this spot except practicing mindfulness.
Use your phone as a mindfulness prompt
It’s easy to get caught up in a busy day and forget to practice mindfulness. An easy way to remember is to set a reminder on your phone to prompt you to focus on physical sensations or your breathing.