There are many diverse forms of meditation. There is dynamic meditation, religious meditation, and transcendental meditation. All these forms of meditation are not exactly mindfulness. Mindfulness is a form of meditation where you concentrate on being conscious of how you feel at a point in time. Mindful meditation is a process that is believed to help you take control of your mind and become a Master of It over time.
It is very common for you not to know what your mind is doing. The mind likes to travel or just keep busy. Experts say this is a result of all the things happening around us that make us do things that we are not even conscious of. That is why it is easy for you to drop an item and the next minute you cannot seem to remember where you placed it. We do a lot of things without being conscious of what we are doing. The goal of mindfulness is not to make your mind blank. The goal is really to pay attention to your inside or to keep your attention inside. It is bringing awareness to what your mind is doing at any point in time, irrespective of what activity you are doing. Mindful meditation helps you practice the skill of mindfulness.
You practice this process of meditation for you to be more mindful. A common mindfulness exercise is to watch your breath. In summary, you simply notice your breathing in and out and stop your mind when it begins to wander. You call it back to the present moment.
You will need to practice mindfulness to get better at it. There are steps you can take to help your mindfulness process.
Steps To Mindfulness
Get a good location. A good location is very important. Mindful meditation can be done anywhere but it is important to take into consideration the fact that mindfulness requires you to concentrate. This makes it important for you to get a quiet place where you cannot be disturbed. Research shows that engaging in a meditation outdoors can be beneficial. If it is difficult for you to get an outdoor location without distractions around then you can meditate indoors. If you have a room to yourself, you can use your room to ensure that you are alone, and distraction is prevented as much as possible.
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Determine your comfortable position.
There are different positions you can take to meditate. The popular position is to sit cross-legged on the floor or a low surface. However, if this position is not comfortable for you, then you can try some others available. You can sit upright in a chair or even just lay down.
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Use a Timer
A timer is important when you are meditating. It is especially important when you are a beginner at trying out meditation. A timer helps with accountability to yourself. When your time is not up, you maintain your meditation position. You can set shorter times when you are a beginner. The more you meditate, the longer time you can set. When you get better at it, you might not even need a timer anymore.
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Pay Attention to Your Breathing
Pay attention as you breathe in and then out. You can take longer breaths now because you are conscious of your breath. Focusing on your breath helps to keep your mind focused. We breathe constantly but subconsciously. Thus, tuning in to your breath helps to bring your mind to the present. You can chant a mantra while breathing in and out or you can just do it silently.
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Be Conscious of Your Thoughts
This is the part where you get to do the most work. When you start to focus on your breath, your mind will wander. Minds are disposed to wandering. You need to be conscious of your thoughts and constantly bring your thoughts to the present. You have to constantly notice that your mind is lost and redirect your thoughts. Experts call this a moment of awakening. When you redirect your thoughts from wandering, the control center of your brain that helps us focus lights up. This is one of the ways in which meditation increases mental muscle.
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Pay Attention to Your Body
We exist in our heads. So, it is easy to not be conscious of our body unless we get hurt. Being aware of your body helps bring you into the present moment. It also helps you notice how connected the mind and body are.
You do not have to restrict paying attention to your body just when you meditate. Pay attention even when you are taking a walk or even when you are in the shower. Just ensure you notice how your body feels and how it responds to different situations.
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Be Committed
Like any other thing, frequently practicing mindfulness makes you better at it. You have to be committed to practicing mindfulness. Have a set time and place for you to have your mindful meditation. Commitment and frequently practicing make you better at mindfulness.
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Be Patient
Your mind will not just sit still because you have done some sessions of mindful meditation. you need patience in the place of meditation and through the whole process of mindfulness. You will not automatically become a master of your mind when you start mindful meditation. This process of wandering will make your practice and be more conscious of redirecting your mind.
Conclusion
There is emerging evidence from many studies to show that mindfulness changes how we relate to our own feelings. This can change how you relate to the world and the people around you. You become more conscious of your feelings and open-minded towards them. Mindfulness is beyond just the period you spend meditating. Mindfulness is applied to every area of your life and in everything you do. You have to begin to pay more attention to your environment and notice the busy world around you. There should be intentionality put into bringing your mind to the present at every point in time. Whenever you get a negative thought or catch your mind wandering, redirect your thoughts and focus on your breath. That being mindful.