I recently tried mindful meditation for the first time. I found a spare slot in my schedule and a serene spot in my garden. I was curious to try mindful meditation for myself and see whether it might help still my mind. Here's how it went…
Why Try Mindfulness Meditation?
Mindfulness meditation has been practised by Buddhists for centuries and is now gaining popularity in the West. It requires sitting still and tuning in; paying attention to your breathing and gaining full awareness of your body.
The challenge is clearing your mind and ignoring the thoughts that might creep in. As well as focusing on your breathing, you could focus on an object such as a flower, or even mindfully meditate when eating.
Some people even use mindfulness meditation to manage pain. They acknowledge and accept the pain, rather than cursing it or focusing on it in a negative sense.
Experiencing Mindfulness Meditation
As a writer, I'm an incessant thinker and find it very hard to switch off. So I was initially a little sceptical about how effective mindful meditation would be. However, in true mindfulness style I pushed those niggling thoughts aside and gave it a try. Here's how I did it:
- I chose a comfortable garden chair and sat upright, focusing on a yellow flower a few feet away. I closed my eyes (although experienced meditators may choose to keep their eyes open) and began to focus on my breathing. As I did, my mind piped up, "How long do I have to do this for? Should I put a load of washing on this afternoon? Darn, I forgot to buy carrots." Rather than get flustered by my thoughts, I accepted their presence and went back to focusing on my breathing.
- I listened to my soft breath rising and falling like a wave. I felt my stomach do the same and paid attention to how the warm air exited my nostrils and brushed my top lip. And then I thought about lip gloss. Again, I tried to simply observe the thought without worry and focused back on my breathing.
- As more thoughts rushed in, I repeated the mantra "calm" as I exhaled. This really helped me to focus without giving in to my mind.
- After a little while I simply sat for a few moments and listened to the sounds floating around me. A bird twitter, a distant plane, a child laughing.
- I then opened my eyes and smiled at my new relaxed state.
A Regular Meditation Practice
The key to mindful meditation, like all forms of meditation, is to carry the insights from your practice into everyday life. For example, when you next eat, try focusing on eating a forkful of food and tuning into its taste and texture.
My challenge is to keep up a regular meditation practice, to give my mind a much-needed break from thinking about carrots…and lip gloss!
To find out more about meditation, check out the articles about meditation or contact your local mindfulness specialist.
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