It's Simple, Really!

Quieting the Mind

Good grief, like I’m not busy enough and now you tell me I have to meditate too?

Well, no, you don’t HAVE to meditate, but here’s the thing – meditation will make your life easier. Meditation cultivates mindfulness and it’s this mindfulness that we can use throughout our day to manage our thoughts, our responses to situations and our everyday tasks. Not a day goes by when I don’t read about some new clinical study touting the advantages of meditation. While some of this research is biased, it's clear that mindfulness meditation benefits most everyone (with a few exceptions). If meditating is a foreign concept to you, here’s a little help to get you started.

What is Meditation?
Meditation is the practice of quieting of the mind.  It is in meditation that we cultivate mindfulness.

What is Mindfulness?
The closest word to describe mindfulness is awareness, but it is so much more than that.  Mindfulness is the state of “thoughtless awareness” as opposed to an act we are actually doing. Another way to say it is it is bare attention, attention without adding anything to it – no judgment, worries, fears, fantasies.  We focus on the present moment, letting go of anger or regret over the past and worry over the future.  In mindfulness we are free to explore the mind, objectively and non-judgmentally providing clarity and insight.  Things are not bad or good, they just are.  We use mindfulness to bring our minds back to our object of focus (the breath). As we use meditation to cultivate this mindfulness, we are better able to apply this throughout our day. Read on for my “10 Ways to be Mindful Throughout Your Day.”

Remember, mindfulness is all about being aware and in the present moment.  So, use every opportunity to do so.  And remember, a regular meditation practice is what gets you there.

Why should I learn to meditate?
In a nutshell, because it good for you!  Just as a regular exercise routine is good for  your heart, a regular meditation practice is good for your soul, brain, body.  It literally transforms your brain, and most importantly is allows you to experience life more positively.  Here are just some of the many medical benefits that have been documented in clinical studies:

• Reduces anxiety
• Reduces depression
• Improves your sleep
• Helps treat addictive behaviors
• Improves concentration
• Strengthens your immune system
• Manages pain
• Makes you more resilient
• Increases memory – both short & long term
• Slows the aging process
• Improves concentration & attention
• Improves relationships
• Creates more compassion
• Creates a happier world (my personal fave)
• Reduces stress

So, Do you I have to sit cross-legged for hours?
In my opinion, and as I teach my students, all the old rules are out the window. You can meditate for as little as 5 minutes a day, sitting in a chair, sitting on the floor or even standing up, whatever is easiest for you. The point is, just do it, and do it regularly. While you're at it, try different types of meditation to find one that resonates with you. And remember, the more consistent your practice, the easier it gets – they don’t call it a practice for nothing. Find a regular time each day and a special place that works for you and just do it!

And now…

Ten Ways to be Mindful Throughout Your Day

Developing greater awareness is about so much more than sitting with our eyes closed once or twice a day. Every single moment in the day is another opportunity to be present and aware. Consider choosing just one of these ideas to begin with and try to ensure that the new habit is really strong, then add a second one a week later.

1. As soon as you wake up in the morning, rather than jumping out of bed, pause long enough for 3 whole breaths to pass quite naturally. It will only take a few seconds, but it will set the tone for the day ahead.
2. When you brush your teeth, make it an exercise in mindfulness. Rather than just thinking about stuff, pay attention to the physical sensations, the smells, the taste etc. In time it can feel like a mini-meditation.
3. Whether you drink tea, coffee or OJ in the morning, make it a ritual. Sit down with it, if only for the first few sips. Be aware of the smell, the taste, the temperature and everything else. Savor the moment and realize when the mind has wandered.
4. Stick a post-it note on the back of your front door to remind you to be mindful as you walk after leaving. To begin with, it may only last 30 seconds or so, but with practice, it can be much longer.
5. Make the beginning and end of every journey another mindful moment. When you first get on, get in, sit down or whatever it is, be present for 3 breaths. Then repeat again, before you get up, get out or stand up. The natural beginning and end helps to jog the memory.
6. If you work at a desk, apply the same idea as travel. You don’t have to do it in a very obvious way, but just using that natural change in posture to trigger the memory to be present. Every time you sit down or stand up provides a lot of opportunities in the day.
7. If you are at home more often, then try experimenting with “opening and closing”. By this I mean every time you open or close a door, that becomes the trigger for mindfulness, of being aware and present. It’s surprisingly effective and relatively easy to do.
8. Every time you eat, there is the opportunity to remember to be present. So always pause before eating, just long enough for one whole breath, and then as you eat, use the taste, smell etc. as your object of focus. It makes the food taste better, makes you eat slower & helps you lose weight, too!
9. Some people find that by putting a little sticker on the back of their phone, it helps to remind them to be present, when the mind is getting lost in thoughts and distractions.
10. Take a moment before going to bed to appreciate something good which has happened in the day. It may sound a bit cliché, but it feels really nice and immediately brings the mind into the present, even if we are thinking about something from the past.