06 Oct How to practice Mindfulness Meditation?
Although it is so easy to rush through life without noticing what is going on around us, sometimes you have to stop, and be fully in the present moment. This is exactly what Mindfulness meditation teaches you. Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – will improve your mental and emotional wellbeing.
What is mindfulness?
Professor Mark Williams, former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, says that “Mindfulness means knowing directly what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.”
Mindfulness meditation is unique because it is not directed toward getting us to be different from how we already are. Instead, it helps us become aware of what is already true moment by moment. We can say that it teaches us how to be unconditionally present. It helps us be present with whatever is happening.
Being fully present in the current moment is a very difficult task these days, as so many things are going on both in you and around you. The sitting practice of mindfulness meditation gives us exactly this opportunity to become more present with ourselves just as we are. It teaches us how to stop perpetuating the unnecessary suffering that results from trying to escape the discomfort, even pain, we inevitably experience as a consequence of simply being alive.
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Buddha taught that the source of suffering is our attempt to escape from our direct experience. First, we cause ourselves suffering by trying to get away from pain and attempting to hang on to pleasure.
Unfortunately, instead of quelling our suffering or reaching our happiness, this strategy has the opposite effect. Instead of making us happier, it causes us more suffering. Second, we cause suffering when we try to play a role in our lives… a false identity usually known as ego. This doesn’t work as well, and leads to suffering.
How to practice Mindfulness Meditation?
This type of meditation is good for people who don’t have a teacher to guide them, as it can be easily practiced alone. There are three basic aspects in this meditation technique: body, breath and thoughts. First, we relate with the body. This includes how we set up the environment.
Choose a quiet place, where you feel comfortable and nothing can distract your attention. Once you’ve picked your spot, you need to choose your seat. It’s fine to sit either on a cushion, on the floor or on a chair. The point is to be stable and comfortable. When you found the perfect place: sit down. Your back should be straight with the curve in the lower back that is naturally there. There’s no need to control yourself into an uncomfortable posture. Just simply cross your legs. Notice that you want your hips higher than your knees. If necessary, add more height to your seat by folding up a blanket or towel.
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Begin by just sitting in this posture for a few minutes. If your attention wanders away, just gently bring it back to your body and the environment. The key word here is “gently.” Your mind will definitely wander; that’s part of what you will notice with your mindfulness: minds wander. When you notice that your mind has wandered, come back again to the body and environment.
Next part of the practice is working with the breath. In this practice rest your attention lightly on the breath. Feel how it comes into your body and how it goes out. There’s no special way to breathe in this technique. We are interested in how we already are, not how we are if we manipulate our breath. If you find that you are controlling your breath in some way, just let it be that way. It’s a bit tricky to try to be natural on purpose, so don’t get caught up in worrying about whether your breath is natural or not.
Just let it be however it is
The last part of the practice is working with thoughts. As you sit practicing, you will notice that thoughts arise. Sometimes there are a great many thoughts, overlapping one over the next: memories, plans for the future, fantasies.. That’s not uncommon, especially if you’re new to meditation. Just notice what happens.
When you notice that you have gotten so caught up in thoughts that you have forgotten that you’re sitting in the room, just gently bring yourself back to the breath. You can mentally say “thinking” to yourself as a further reminder of what just happened. This labeling is not a judgment; it is a neutral observation: “Thinking has just occurred.“
How long should you practice?
If you are a beginner, try to sit for 10 to 15 minutes and gradually increase to 20 or 30 minutes. You should practice mindfulness meditation regularly. It can be helpful to pick a regular time during which you decide to be aware of the sensations created by the world around you. After the first few times, or when you feel it has become a bit easier, you can also try to do it while you are walking to your workplace or meanwhile having a bubble bath.
Final Word
Mindfulness meditation practice can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. It will make your days more beautiful with waaay less suffering as it helps you to avoid being “trapped” in reliving past problems or “pre-living” future worries.
Discover more types of Meditation
Zhuanqi Meditation
Zhuanqi meditation is a Taoist breathing technique used to create a union between the mind and qi. The process is built upon a focus on the breath. Learn more...
Zazen Meditation
Zazen meditation is a type of Zen Buddhist meditation technique developed in Japan with the purpose of stilling the mind and removing desire. Learn more...
Vipassana Meditation
Vipassana meditation is a method used by Buddhists to help detach from the cycle of desire and accept the true nature of reality. Learn more...
