How To Practice Mindfulness

inner-baner

Mindfulness the Path To Wellbeing

We live in the most affluent and free society in human history. The infectious diseases and environmental harassment have been reduced across the US. People can freely choose their career, lifestyle, religions, sexual gender, etc. We are connected to the entire world thanks to social networks. However, the number of people suffering from anxiety, depression, loneliness, psychosomatic disorders, a prevalent feeling of worthlessness, and suicide ideation is skyrocketing. Behavioral psychologists and medical researchers have found mindfulness exercises to be an effective treatment for the aforementioned conditions and in many cases, it might be the only treatment needed. Mindfulness Buddhism provides several evidence-based therapies which notorious benefits for anybody.

lotus

What Is Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness Meditation is a group of techniques in which the person focuses his attention or his mind on a specific object during 10 to 30 minutes, in order to achieve control or reduction of the permanent inner talks or thoughts that are bombarding or crossing his brain every second.

Mindfulness training teaches that you need to maintain your attention or awareness to the present moment and stop as much as possible the unwanted mind wandering. Additionally, as part of this process, you are encouraged to practice some behavioral changes in your daily activities to get the best mindfulness benefits.

How Relevant Is Mindfulness Meditation in This Technological Era?

This globalized society demands not only to be extremely productive and efficient but also creative and multitasking. Just by practicing mindfulness meditation for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day for 12 weeks will help you to get a better control of your mental processes improving your mental capacities, creativity, concentration, and memory. The reason for this improvement is that you will learn to gain voluntary control of your mind. You will learn to be calm and think clearer and faster.

What is the Mindfulness Buddhism goal?

The Mindfulness Buddhism goal is to attain a higher level of consciousness in which the individual can be 100% aware of what he is doing, his surrounding, his actions, his emotions, and his responses.

Mindfulness training can generate an inner state of self-satisfaction, muscle relaxation and peace of mind that justify any required effort.

Notice that to be conscious is not the same as to be awake or talk, or do our job. We expend most of the day in automatic pilot, like zombies. We wake up, eat, commute, and chat with our peers without perceiving what is in front of us. Our brain is most of the time daydreaming or remembering a past event, losing the beauty of the present moment, and the wonderful opportunities that every day brings within it

Mindfulness psychology

The mindfulness benefits are real and they can be measured using the scientific method. In the last decade, more than three dozens of papers have been published recommending the inclusion of the mindfulness exercises as a therapeutic technique either alone or in combination with other psychotherapies. Drs. Davis and Hayes from Penn State University found improvement in the well-being of everyone who practices the mindfulness exercises for more than 14 days.

Moreover, in patients that physiotherapy failed the practice of mindfulness exercises helps them to regain control and get better. Clinical psychologists and physiotherapist who learn mindfulness training report better patients’ outcomes. Based on the vast evidence nowadays, Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins and most medical center offer mindfulness psychology as part of their holistic approach.

Mindfulness benefits

The proven benefits from practicing mindfulness training included but are not limited to:

  • Neuroplasticity, it produces brain performance enhancement, restructuring the neuronal network and improving the cognitive capacities. It modifies how the brain works.
  • Emotional control or emotional regulation. It lets you control your responses.
  • Decrease fears
  • Increase concentration
  • Increase memory
  • Decrease the time needed to learn a new skill
  • Interpersonal Benefits, It decreases the permanent over-reactivity and aggressiveness in your behavior and thoughts
  • Increase compassion
  • Increase empathy
  • Decrease and eventually control anxiety
  • Decrease stress and chronic fatigue
  • Improve time management skills
  • Increase creativity
  • Increase productivity. 

How to practice mindfulness

You are about to attend an invitation to become the best possible version of yourself by learning how to practice mindfulness. The steps are very easy to follow, and the time required is no more than 20 to 60 minutes during the day and it is free. The entire process will cost you zero dollars. However, the mindfulness benefits in your life and wellbeing can last your lifespan.

  1. Take a seat, the ideal is a peaceful and quiet place, but you can do it even on the metro, bus or in the middle of a crazy party. The important thing is that nobody calls you.
  2. Set your timer or alarm for the desired time 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes.
  3. Close your eyes, this is to decrease your outside sensory stimulation.
  4. Take three slow and deep breaths. You can breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, hold it for 5 seconds, and breathe out through your nose for 5 seconds.
  5. Focus your entire attention on your body, if you feel any discomfort, pain or tension on any body part. Place your attention on the affected area and imagine it is relaxing and the discomfort and pain are disappearing. The best way to do it, it is by starting on your head and descend to your feet.
  6. Focus your attention on your belly. Breathe in through your nose, your belly should expand or inflate, this is called diaphragmatic breathing, imagine that clear energy enter your body.
  7. Breathe out through your mouth, imagine that a brown energy is expelling from your body carrying all the wasted products and malfunctioning cells.
  8. After 7 to 8 breathing cycles, stop thinking about energy, color or anything else.
  9. Focus your attention on your belly. Breathe in and out through your nose.
  10. When thoughts cross your mind, do not pay attention to them, return your awareness to your belly and breathing cycles.
  11. Maintain your attention to your belly movement and the present moment for the duration of your meditation.

Practicing mindfulness required some observations

The mindfulness meditation is just the beginning. To get all the benefits some modifications are needed in your daily activities.

  1. Do not judge anything or anybody, just observe and learn.
  2. Try to control the overthinking, maintain as much as possible your attention to the present moment, and your present sensations.
  3. When you feel upset, try to calm yourself. Evaluate the situation from the outside and reconsider if your response was appropriated.
  4. When something bothers you imagine you send love to it or him.
  5. Try to help anybody who needs it.
  6. Feel compassion for your fellows' human beings and send love to everybody.

What can you expect from Mindfulness Training?

Similar to any other skill in life you will get out as much as you put on it. Taking control over your mental processes require time and dedication. You need to be vigilant of your thoughts and regain attention to the present time frequently. However, your efforts pay out sooner than expected. Before you, there is a real path to, fulfillment, inner peace, and wellbeing. You are the only one who can walk it.

Back to the top