What is Mindfulness Meditation?

Mindfulness Meditation is the practice of combining Mindfulness and Meditation. This means being aware of your thoughts and physical sensations in your body without acting on or judging them while practicing meditation.

Both Mindfulness and Meditation are about being present in the moment, observing your thoughts without judgment, and being aware of your bodily sensations.

There are different techniques and types of Mindfulness Meditation. However, essentially the focus is on two things. Deep breathing and awareness of your thoughts and physical sensations in your body. 

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of the present moment. This includes you being fully present in whatever task you’re doing at any given time. When you’re mindful, you’re not occupied with your thoughts about the past or the future. 

You can pretty much do anything mindfully. All our daily tasks and habits such as brushing our teeth, taking a shower, doing the dishes, etc can be done while being mindful of what we are doing. 

By practicing mindfulness, you can fully indulge and appreciate life just as it is. 

What is Meditation?

Meditation is the practice of observing your thoughts without judgment or action. It is just being aware of your thoughts, letting them come and go like passing clouds. 

There are many different types of meditation. But I always recommend beginners to start with the simplest form of meditation which is mindfulness meditation. 

You don’t need to be in any specific place or way. Just find a quiet space and sit down in a comfortable position. It can be a cushion on the floor or it can be a chair. The important thing is that you’re comfortable and have nothing to distract you. 

Now that we have defined both Mindfulness and Meditation individually, let’s look at how these two practices come together.

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

Mindfulness Meditation is a very simple practice. It’s the practice of focused breathing while observing your thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and feelings. Being simple is not to be mistaken with easy here. 

If you have tried meditation, you would know that it’s far from easy. Just remaining still in your mind and body is not that easy. It’s common to get carried away with thoughts of your past and future. 

If this happens, don’t worry at all. Just bring your focus back to your breath and the sensations in your body. This is the core principle of Mindfulness Meditation, the practice of bringing your awareness into the present moment. 

Mindfulness Meditation is also about acceptance of the present moment just as it is. When you’re observing your thoughts and also noticing the sensations in your body, oftentimes stiffness and discomfort from staying still can arise, just try to be present with those thoughts and feelings and accept that this is your reality at that moment. 

Through regular Mindfulness Meditation practice, you train your mind to be more mindful in your everyday life and be more accepting of situations and outcomes that you didn’t expect to happen. 

How can you practice Mindfulness Meditation?

To practice Mindfulness Meditation, you don’t need a lot. Just a quiet space and a comfortable seating space are all you need. Some people prefer to sit in a chair and that’s totally fine too. 

Below are some tips on how to practice Mindfulness Meditation.

1. Sit down with your back and neck straight

How you sit down is important as that will help you practice for longer. If you’re sitting on the ground, I would highly suggest a meditation cushion to support your back and elevate it a little bit. You could also find a comfortable chair if that suits you better.

2. Set a timer

This is optional. You don’t need to set a timer. However, I have found it useful to use a timer to gradually increase the time of my meditations as I get more comfortable with it. This will also help you to push a little bit more when you feel uncomfortable as your mind knows that you were supposed to meditate for a set amount of time.

3. Set an intention to start your practice

Before starting your Mindfulness Meditation practice, take a mental note or say to yourself that you intend to sit down for today’s practice to become more mindful and accepting of life in all forms. 

4. Start with focused deep breathing

When you’re ready, close your eyes and start with some deep breaths. I usually keep a mental count of deep breathing of ten and start back from one when I have completed ten or notice that I have gotten distracted with my thoughts. 

5. Scan your body 

When some time has passed into your meditation, you will start noticing your body. You may have some discomfort in your legs, back, or neck. Take note of these feelings and sensations and do a scan starting from the tips of your toes to all the way to the top of your head. Move slowly and treat it like a scan of your body and be fully present with it. 

6. Notice when your mind starts wandering away from your breath

This is an inevitable part of mindfulness meditation. No matter how long you practice, chances are you will get distracted by your thoughts. When this happens, notice it for what it is and fully accept that it happened.  

7. Bring your focus back to your breath

Sometimes, by the time you have realized that your mind has wandered away from the focus on the breath, some time may have passed away. This is very normal and almost all meditation practitioners can vouch for this. When you notice it, just bring your focus back to your breath and carry on. 

8. When you find it difficult, be more accepting of it

Unless you have a very flexible body, it can be a challenge to remain seated for long periods of time. And when you’re meditating you’re staying idle. Hence, time may feel even longer in your experience when compared to being occupied with something you enjoy. When you start feeling some discomfort in your body, notice it and accept the discomfort as well. Remind yourself that it’s temporary and will be over soon. 

9. When you’re done with the practice, gently open your eyes

When you’re done, gently open your eyes, and slowly start bringing your focus back to your surroundings. Notice the floor you’re sitting on, notice the sounds, notice your body and how you feel after the meditation. 

10. Express gratitude for being able to practice

Take the time to express gratitude for being in good health and being able to practice meditation and being mindful. Be thankful for all your blessings in life and carry the same energy throughout the day as much as possible. 

The key takeaway from Mindfulness Meditation

Starting a mindfulness meditation may seem like a complicated thing and may present some sort of uneasiness. Remind yourself that you have all the time to figure things out and will get more comfortable with it as you start practicing regularly. 

Just practicing for a little while whenever possible can give you multiple benefits in your overall quality of life.