Mindfulness

Mindfulness is intentionally focusing one's attention on the experience occurring at the present moment, in a nonjudgmental and accepting way. Meditation is a mental training to improve your ability to focus your attention and control your emotions. There are many ways to meditate; mindfulness meditation is one of them.

How to practise mindfulness meditation

Preparation

• First, find a comfortable place where you can focus and will not be disturbed or interrupted.
• Decide how long you're going to dedicate, and set a timer. You can meditate for as short or as long as you like.
• Start with shorter periods, around 5–10 minutes. Tip: 10 minutes out of 24 hours is just 0.7% of your day.
• Place yourself in a posture that is both relaxed and alert, with your back reasonably straight.

Step 1

• Take a deep breath and relax, with your eyes open or closed.
• Be aware of the sounds around you coming and going, and let them be whatever they are.
• Keep taking in and releasing slow, deep breaths, while remaining aware of them.

Step 2

• Close your eyes and set down all your concerns now, like putting down a heavy bag.
• After the meditation you can pick them up again if you want to. Realise you are allowing yourself this time to move away from worldly worries.

Step 3

• Now focus on your breath. Bring your whole awareness to the sensation of breathing.
• Sense the cool air coming in and the warm air going out. Feel the chest rising and falling, the belly expanding and contracting. Don't try to control your breath; let it flow in and out on its own.

Step 4

• Start counting your breaths softly — from one to ten, then start over.
• If you notice you lost the sequence before reaching ten because your mind wandered, start again from one.
• It's normal for the mind to wander. When it does, simply return to counting from the start. Be gentle with yourself, letting go of all self-criticism.

Step 5

• Become more and more absorbed in your breathing. Notice the volume, speed, warmth, and sound of the breath moving in and out of your nostrils.
• Once your mind settles in the first few minutes, it becomes easier to follow the air as it travels deeper into your lungs and back out again. Open your whole awareness to the simple process of breathing.

Step 6

• Bring your attention to the thoughts moving through your mind, trying to pull your attention away from your breath. Simply notice them — this is the most important step of mindfulness meditation.
• Be aware of those thoughts and feelings, wishes and plans, images and memories. Tell yourself: I'm noticing my thoughts, yet I'm not getting carried away by them.
• Don't get caught up in them, but don't struggle with them either. The idea is to sit with your thoughts and let them be whatever they are.
• Most of all, notice their impermanence as they finally fade, keeping an attitude of acceptance toward them.
• Each time you catch yourself being dragged away by a thought, gently bring your focus back to your breath — again and again.

Step 7

• Feel a growing sense of peace within as you settle into the breath with more focus.
• Notice how it feels to get caught up in the passing contents of awareness — and how it feels to let them go by.
• Once you are in that state of peaceful awareness, you may sit in it for as long as you want.
• Finally, bring the meditation to an end by opening your eyes, stretching out your hands, and getting up.