Mindful Meditation – Tips On How To Do It

Most spiritual leaders agree that a mindful meditation practice can unlock the secrets of the Universe.

Most regular people can agree that being mindful and meditating can unlock the difficult, uncomfortable places in your mind, heart and lower back that make the secrets of the Universe seem trivial. But with a few tips for sneaking mindfulness into your daily routine, you can access that calm, totally put together.

There are many misconceptions about what it means to be mindful, both in theory and practice. An awareness or consciousness of what you are doing, feeling and thinking at all times is the goal of mindful practices like meditation, but it is nearly impossible to be this aware at all times. We’re merely human, after all.

However, there are many ways you can cultivate a mindful state no matter what your current state of being. That is where meditation comes in – it’s the perfect place to practice mindfulness in a serene setting, so that when you experience stressful situations, you have at least some reference point of being calm. If you don’t practice in your sanctuary, how will you remain calm in the real world when you need it most?

Reality Check

Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of learning to be mindful is to know that the mind will wander from what you are doing now to mulling over past regrets and worrying about the future if you lose interest in the present moment. Every time. If you are not completely aware of the present moment most of the time – you are missing your life.

The problem with thinking so much about the past and future is that they really don’t exist. Nothing exists outside of this moment, right now. Yes, I mean right now. Yesterday and tomorrow exist only in the mind, and if you’re always in your thoughts – you miss what is happening now and all of the joy, insight and basic juicy-ness of living.

To remind you of the present moment:

* Take a deep breath – you can only breathe now, not yesterday and not tomorrow, so it is the access point for the present

* Be aware – look around you, notice subtle changes in light, temperature, smell; recognize them, appreciate it for just a moment before continuing your day

* Focus inward – feel the sensations in your body regarding hunger, comfort level or anxiety; listen to them periodically

Mindful Practice

The point of meditation is to recognize thoughts, and simply not attach to them. When thoughts come up during meditation (and they will), we often can’t control ourselves and get lost on a “thought train” with one stray thought leading to another and another, and pretty soon you forget that you’re sitting in a room in front of a candle. The mind will wander, and the practice of meditation is to pin it down while letting those imaginary thoughts go, so that you can recognize what is real, now.

Create a peaceful environment that you can relax in; take off your shoes, jewelry, or tight clothing and sit in a comfortable meditation pose. Set a timer for 5-20 minutes and focus on your breathing, returning to the breath whenever your mind wanders.

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