Mindfulness Basics:
What is mindfulness?
– Awareness of the present moment. What is going on around us in the now, without the baggage of the past or the worry of the future.
– NON-JUDGEMENT. Mindfulness allows for thoughts and feelings to come and go as they please. We notice them, recognize them, but we do not judge them. Thoughts and feelings are not labeled as good or bad, positive or negative, helpful or unhelpful. They are simply noticed as being present.
– Mindfulness is a PRACTICE not a DESTINATION. It is ok if you aren’t great at it when you start, or even for a very long time.
– Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere. I often do my mindfulness practice in the car while driving between gymnastic, karate and baseball with a car full of noisy kids. It doesn’t have to be sitting cross legged on the floor in silence for an hour. It doesn’t require you to attend a three day silent retreat. Mindfulness can be as little as a 10 second scan of your current feelings, thoughts and sensations.
How to practice mindfulness:
– It is much easier to be present and mindful in a place that feels good, so any time you can create that space before you begin, the easier it will be — especially at first while you are still learning.
– Stop and breathe. Count your breaths.
– Scan your body and check in with each of your senses. What are you hearing? What do you smell, see or feel?
– What emotions are you feeling right now? Remember, the goal is to notice these feelings without judging them, even if they are not what we would consider “positive” emotions — like anger at my son who is chewing up his flip-flop in the back seat of the car again.
– If your mind wanders, don’t get frustrated, just recognize it and bring it back to your breath. Being able to recognize when our mind has wandered and continually bring it back to the present is what mindfulness practice is all about.
For more information on Meditation and Mindfulness:
http://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-practice/201303/5-meditation-tips-beginners
http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition
http://www.gaiam.com/discover/158/article/meditation-101-techniques-benefits-and-a-beginners-how-to