Mindful Meditation – Tips On How To Do It

To cultivate mindfulness in your practice:

* Realign your focus – every time your mind drifts, bring it back to a meditation object (see below)

* Question your thoughts – who is thinking this thought, is this thought really true or am I misperceiving something, how important is this right now

* Label your thinking – when thoughts come into your mind, label them as “thinking” or “thinking about food” and then let them drift by, like clouds in the sky

Meditation Tools

It can be very helpful to pick an object to use as a focus point during your meditation practice. You can use anything as a point of focus, such as a candle, or crystal. Any activity that you perform in a mindful way can be a tool for accessing the present moment, like chanting a mantra or doing chores. Even something mundane like doing the dishes can be a meditation if it is done in a mindful, elevated way.

To use an object as a focus point:

* Make it meaningful – chose a special item that creates peaceful, positive feelings

* Active mindfulness – focus completely on one activity; notice the sensations of touch, taste, smell or sound; really sink into the moment

* Practice repetition – chant a mantra over and over, or perform a walking meditation for an extended period of time; the more you do it, the easier and more comfortable it becomes

* Intense presence – look at each line, feature, color, smell, flaw and detail of your focus object; wonder at it, memorize it, love it

These are things you can do in almost any moment – before driving, during a break at work, or even while watching a sporting event. Practice them daily for best results.

These tips for mindfulness practice are how we learn to appreciate the vibrancy of life in the present moment and understand how we are an intricate part of it. Yeah, you might want to show up for that.

Author

This article was written for Insights-on-Health.com in Dec 2013 by Vicki Wiepking. Vicki is a 2008 graduate of The McKay Method School of Energy Healing in Bozeman, MT, and a certified Flower Essence Practitioner. She is the owner of Rasa Deva Wellness in Bozeman, where she offers a unique combination of energy healing, flower essences and essential oils to her clients. Vicki currently teaches energy healing classes at both the McKay Method and HealthWorks Institute.

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