The Dummy's Guide to Mindfulness and Meditation for Beginners

pyroz416 (25)in #yoga • 3 years ago

Introduction: What is mindfulness and meditation?

Mindfulness is a type of meditation where you are focusing your attention to the present moment.

It is more about being aware of what you are experiencing in the moment. It can be difficult to maintain focus on the present moment because our minds usually wander off to some other thought.

The goal of mindfulness is awareness not control. You are not trying to control your thoughts, but instead observing your thoughts and letting them go if they are no longer necessary for your day-to-day life.

Meditation can help people become more mindful by regulating their thoughts and feelings, whether positive or negative. Meditation will also help people create a sense of inner peace that will carry over into their daily lives, making them calmer and less stressed out.

Mindfulness can be used to calm oneself, connect with others, and improve mental focus. There are many ways to achieve mindfulness through meditation, yoga or simply by enjoying life's little pleasures.

What are the Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation?

Mindfulness and Meditation are becoming more popular, as they provide many benefits. People who meditate can make better decisions because they are calmer. People who meditate tend to be calmer than those who don't and this can help them make choices that are more rational. Have you ever tried to avoid road rage when someone cuts you off in traffic? I know I get worked up in a frenzy if my mind isn’t calm.

People who are consistent with mindfulness are also more placid and good listeners. They are really connecting with people when they offer their help. Try it, stop talking, start listening to people and you’ll be a valuable friend to that person.

How to Start Your Mindfulness and Meditation Practice Today?

Stress and anxiety can be a big problem in our society. Stress is on the rise and we need to find ways to deal with it. Fortunately, we have mindfulness and meditation as a powerful tool to combat these problems.

A lot of people say that they don't have enough time to meditate or do some mindfulness exercises during their day. If this is your case, you should try some of the following tips:

Find a room in your home where you can practice mindfulness and meditation
Set a timer for 10 minutes, lie down on a comfortable mat with pillows
Begin by focusing on your breath
Concentrate on inhaling deeply through the nose - Hold that breath for 5 seconds - Exhale deeply from the mouth - Repeat this

It really is that simple. A friend of mine who has been practicing this for 20 years suggested similar things to me. It is so helpful that I don’t have the words to describe the calmness I felt after. It’s like taking a warm shower after a long day at work. Your blood immediately starts to circulate better, your brain fog disappears, and you feel a sense of peace.

The Power of Slowing Down in a Fast-paced World

People are getting busy. They are living in a fast-paced world where they are often faced with pressure to get more done. Just like we can’t jog for long periods of time without slowing down, we can’t LIVE for long without SLOWING down. We need to - I hate saying this - “take time to smell the roses.” The reason this rings true in mindfulness is that we become AWARE of the ‘smell of the roses’ and NOTICE it in our ‘present’. This is important because it makes us stop and remind ourselves that we’re here. On a gigantic ball - small in the cosmic realm - spinning 1,600 km/h and going around the Sun. We are actually insignificant in the Cosmos but our lives make it seem like we are the center. Smell the roses. Look up at the sky. Look at the shape of our bodies. How the heck did we get here? (Off on a tangent)
Slowing down is the answer to the problems of today. It's all about understanding what is happening in our environment and taking time to do things well. Have you ever tried to bake a cake quickly? Guess what? You can’t. Time and Temperature are variables that need to be controlled for a perfect cake. Too long, it’s burned. Too short a time, it’s dough, which itself is yummy. Slowing down is like making a cake. We have to be delicate. It’s our BODY and LIFE, so why do we treat it like a used Chevy (insert shitty car name)? Let’s slow down for a day. OR even for a minute. Take time to make your coffee and REALLY notice all the movements in your body that go into something that we do by automation. You’ll thank me later.

Namaste