Mindfulness = Meditation ?

When we first heard of the word ‘mindfulness’, one may correlate it with meditation. Mindfulness meditation is more than just a practice, it holds a huge variety of benefits including the relief of anxiety and the general stress. Meditation is often being associated with relaxing our mind and finding inner peace, however, as easy as it may sound, most people find it hard to empty their thoughts and calm their mind.

It is often said that meditation begins and ends in the body. The first step in finding the power to relax our mind is to focus your attention to where you lie, what’s happening at this point, that’s the start of having awareness on our body. Let the feeling gravity pulls you through here and time, you will find yourself floating and the very act itself is calming as you are giving your mind and body a chance to relax.

Here is a simple meditation practice for any beginners out there that would like to have it a go. Feel free to try if you simply have a minute or two, you may find it helpful in the moment of stressful situation. The following techniques are referenced throughout the web from websites such as headspace.com & mindful.org

Posture Meditation 101

1. Take your seat.

The number one rule is to make sure your head is directly over your heart, and your heart is right over your hips, so your vertebrae are stacked. To have a proper alignment, one method I have find useful after researching online is to bring your hips slightly above your knees, this method allows your pelvis to tilt forward. Most importantly, whatever you’re sitting on—a chair, a meditation cushion (highly recommended), against the wall, kneeling with support between knees—find a spot that gives you a stable, solid seat, not perching or hanging back.

2. Notice what your legs are doing.

If on a cushion on the floor, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. If you already do some kind of seated yoga posture (easy pose, Burmese position, quarter lotus pose, half lotus pose, or the full lotus pose), go ahead. If you’re sitting on a chair, it’s great as it makes it easier for most people that finds it hard to sit still for a long period or those who have knee issues. If you choose the chair method, make sure that the bottoms of your feet are touching the floor.

3. Straighten—but don’t stiffen— your upper body.

The spine has natural curvature. Let it be there. Your head and shoulders can comfortably rest on top of your vertebrae. It is said that when you’re slouching, the act introduces a sense of tiredness into your mind and it will be difficult to maintain your position for long period. The pulling of gravity will cause you to have back and neck pain if you continue to hunch over.

4. Situate your upper arms parallel to your upper body.

The next step relates to your hand positions during meditation. You can either let your hands drop onto the tops of your legs, palms down or in your lap, palms up, one hand resting in the other. With your upper arms at your sides, your hands will land in the right spot. Too far forward will make you hunch. Too far back will make you stiff. You’re tuning the strings of your body—not too tight and not too loose.

5. Drop your chin a little and let your gaze fall gently downward.

You may let your eyelids lower. If you feel the need, you may lower them completely, but it’s not necessary to close your eyes when meditating. You can simply let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it. Let gravity takes hold of your mind and you will see how finding inner peace is easier when your body is relaxed.

6. Be there for a few moments.

Relax. Now get up and go about your day. And if the next thing on the agenda is doing some mindfulness practice by paying attention to your breath or the sensations in your body, you’ve started on the right foot—and hands and arms and everything else.

7. Begin again.

When your posture is established, feel your breath—or some say “follow” it—as it goes out and as it goes in. (Some versions of the practice put more emphasis on the outbreath, and for the inbreath you simply leave a spacious pause.) Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing this—in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes—return your attention to the breath. Don’t bother judging yourself or obsessing over the content of the thoughts. Come back. You go away, you come back.

Remember, if your seat isn’t comfortable, the rest of your body will tense up and that will make meditation difficult. I hope you can find these beginner tips useful in your everyday lives.

Have no fear, every step needs its first, I’m proud of you, regardless of your flaws. As long as you are determined, your path is set and your future is clear.