How to Start Practicing Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is one of the more popular forms of meditation and it’s been performed for thousands of years, particularly in Eastern culture. The two main ideas of mindfulness meditation are focus and acceptance. You learn to focus more effectively on what is important and accept everything for what it truly is. When practiced consistently, you will experience a wealth of benefits and you only need a minute to begin!

Anyone can start practicing mindfulness meditation. You can start by,

1. Setting a time to meditate.
2. Creating the proper environment.
3. Getting into a comfortable position.
4. Focusing on your breathing.
5. Noticing your five senses.
6. Observing your thoughts without judgment.

I will expound more on these later but it’s that simple!

In recent years, mindfulness has been widely studied in the mental health community and with very positive findings. It has been linked to better heart health, better sleep, increased immunity, and reduced depression just to name a few. These benefits all seem to stem from the increased ability to handle stress which affects many aspects of your mental and physical health. In other words, less stress equals better sleep, heart health, immunity, etc.

I see mindfulness as exercise for the brain. You may exercise your body so that it is prepared to lift something heavy or run away quickly if necessary. The same can be applied to mindfulness meditation. However, in this case you are training your mind to lift heavy mental loads. You are training it to respond better to stressful situations and to enjoy the happy moments even more. This will do wonders for your overall wellness!

Mindfulness accomplishes this by getting your brain used to being in the present. It also teaches you to not identify with your thoughts and to be less critical of yourself. Much of our stress and anxiety is derived from future or past experiences that we are constantly revisiting. The present is fleeting and can only be experienced once but that is where joy and peace is found. It is generally better to be in the present as much as you can. You of course need to plan for your future and learn from your past, but most people overdo this and spend most of their time in their own heads. This just leads to more anxiety and depression. Now, let’s elaborate a little more on the steps mentioned earlier to help you start practicing mindfulness meditation and see these changes in your own lives.

1. Set a time to meditate.
   • This is important because creating a plan makes it more likely that you’ll actually do it. Also, setting a time to meditate each day will help you do it consistently. This generally works better if it’s the same time each day. You can even set a timer so that you know how long you will be meditating. If you only meditate one time or once a month, it will not bring you the peace and calm you are looking for just like going to the gym once won’t get you the body of your dreams. You could even meditate multiple times a day if you wanted to. You could meditate in the morning to start your day, if something stressful happens during the day, or at night to help you sleep. There are no excuses because you can meditate anywhere and for any amount of time. So schedule your meditation time and follow through.
2. Create the proper environment.
   • If it is a more formal meditation in your home for example, help create an atmosphere conducive to a meditative state. Dim the lights. Make sure the room is clean. Maybe light a candle or put on some meditative sounds. This will vary from person to person but in general, make sure it is an environment where you can be both relaxed and focused. 
3. Get into a comfortable position.
   • Again, there can be some variance here. The most recommended position would be sitting on a chair or a cushion with your back straight but not too tight. You are looking for a balance between relaxed and alert. You can also lie down, particularly if you are doing a sleep meditation or are not comfortable sitting for whatever reason. I wanted to mention as well that you can meditate while walking. This is more of an integration into daily life or if you just want to enjoy a walk in nature. For a walking meditation, you are alert, present, and taking in everything around you.
4. Focus on your breathing.
   • Focusing on your breathing is a great technique to find the present. Controlled deep breathing even on it’s own will reduce your stress and heart rate. Feel the air come in and go out. Notice your belly moving or the cold air entering your nostrils and going out warm. This will start to ground you and prepare you for a meditative state.
5. Notice your five senses.
   • Your senses open the door to the present. They can only experience what is happening right now. This is where focus comes into play. You can even go through your senses one by one if it helps. You can ask yourself: What am I touching? What do I see? What do I smell? What do I hear? What do I taste? Try to notice things you normally would not. Feel your feet touching the floor. Try to hear sounds far away or background noises you normally shut out. Maybe you recently ate and can still taste some of the food. Really observe colors and forms. Trying to stick to your senses is crucial to mindfulness.
6. Observe your thoughts without judgment.
   • Everyone’s thoughts wander even without us consciously making it happen. This is where you practice acceptance. It is very important to not judge yourself or your thoughts during your mindfulness practice. Picture your thoughts like a moving sushi bar. Step back and imagine your thoughts are just moving in front of you. You are not your thoughts. Your thoughts simply pass by. You will pick up the thought as it passes by, observe it for what it actually is, a thought, and put it back and let it keep moving. You then return to your senses. Your mindfulness session is commonly a back-and-forth of focusing on your senses and observing your thoughts.

The key to reaping the benefits of mindfulness is to consistently practice it. You can become better at it just like any skill and the sessions become even more beneficial. Try to do a little every day. Westerners seem to feel strange about meditation as if it were only reserved for Shaolin monks or something. This is far from the truth. In mental health treatment, mindfulness has become common practice in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and addiction for example. Anyone can do it and become skilled at it. If you prefer, you can do guided meditation as well. These are available for free on YouTube or on apps such as Headspace and Calm. These will help you stay focused and guide you through the session so you don’t get nervous or stressed about doing it by yourself.

Whether you practice using my tips or with an app, just give it a try and be consistent. Mindfulness meditation is one of the easiest ways to improve your mental health with no cost or side-effects. I highly recommend that all try mindfulness to take another step towards total wellness in their lives. Let me know how it works for you!