Practicing the power of now in mindful meditation greatly benefits your mental and spiritual well-being as well as your physical health.
Meditation mindfulness is inherent to all meditation practices. The trick is to bring mindfulness or presence into as many moments as you can throughout your day. You can practice presence while you sit, walk, eat, work, play, and prepare to fall asleep.
Your mind is free of stress when it is focused on the present moment it is free of stress. Most mental distress comes from fretting over the past and worrying about the future. These habits limit your ability to heal and create. They challenge and block your body mind resources.
When you are at ease, your energies focus on healing, problem solving and attracting your conscious desires.
Being present is the state of mind you want to experience more often than not whether your goal is inner peace, holistic healing or creating a life you love.
Unfortunately, less experienced meditators get discouraged by a common plague of mindful meditation called 'monkey mind'. We sit with the best of intentions, chanting "aum" and following our breath only to be distracted by constant mental chatter about the past or future. This makes it almost impossible to focus on what is present for more than a few moments and reduces the benefits of meditation.
After much frustration, I figured there had to be a way to practice presence without being undone by monkey mind. Here's what I learned to make mindful meditation easier.
Walking mindful meditations are great because they give your body something to do. Practicing the presence of now in mindful meditation is easy when you have engage your body and your senses.
My most enjoyable meditation mindfulness routine came together as I was riding my bicycle.
Here is how to practice mindfulness as you walk (or do just about anything else):
This meditation is not limited to walking. Try it while you ride your bike or sit on your porch. Notice what you feel as you shower. Take a minute to notice all you see while waiting for the light to change as you sit in your car. At the next light, notice what you hear. Perhaps at another light, focus on your breath and how it feels going in and out of your body. How does it sound. Don't control it, just observe.
If you are with someone else, really look at them and listen to her. Tune in and sense her energetically. What do you notice? How has your awareness of this person shifted?
Enjoy meditation mindfulness while eating a meal. Give your focused attention to each bite. Notice the smells, tastes and texture of your food. Be attentive as you lift the food into your mouth, chew and swallow it. Do this for each mouthful, or as long as you like.
As you can see, mindful meditation is not about any particular method. At best, practicing the power of now is woven throughout your day. It doesn't really matter what you focus on or for how long. What matters is that you train your mind to attend to the present moment, which is all there really is. Being mindful and present is one key of spiritual well-being.
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For Educational Purposes Only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult with your health provider before using natural remedies and/or complementary therapies if you are pregnant, nursing, or you are being treated for a medical condition. Be aware that certain herbs and supplements interact with medications.
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