How To Practice Mindfulness Meditation in 5 STEPS
Dee Davis health educator and yoga instructor at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
Mindfulness is the present moment. Mindfulness can be cultivated during any activity, including sitting, standing, walking, eating, and even while taking a shower (I like to do this with the lights off or with candlelight), cooking, exercising, or sharing intimate moments with loved ones. I even did a mindfulness meditation at an art party! How, you might ask? When it comes to the mind, conscious awareness can be achieved in any surrounding. Mindfulness meditation focuses on awareness of the breath, body, mind, and environment, helping individuals become aware of what is happening in the moment. Breath awareness is the starting point.
In mindfulness meditation, the meditator directs awareness to whatever presents itself, which could be an external object (I like to hold a crystal) or sound (Sound bowls are amazing) or an internal sensation, emotion, or thought. The meditator notices the passing object or internal sensation but does not attach judgment, analysis, or emotional reactions to it. Instead, the result is a sense of resting in the present moment.
To practice mindfulness meditation, follow these 5 STEPS:
Find a comfortable posture that embodies wakefulness (such as sitting on a cushion or comfortable chair, walking, standing). Relax your shoulders.
Choose a time of the day when you will not be interrupted. If you are alert, you might want to close your eyes. If you are drowsy or tired, you might want to keep your eyes open. Turn off all electronic devices.
Begin by taking three deep breaths. Box breathing is a great technique to get started with meditation. Breathe with intention during the meditation. FEEL the air fill your lungs and release.
Let go of thoughts of the past and future, and allow your body and mind to relax. Do not focus on anything specific, instead be fully aware of and alert to what is going on in the present moment. If thoughts, sounds, feelings or physical sensations enter your awareness, gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
Sit quietly for ten minutes, observing your breath the entire time.
Still need a little help? Go to the Gift Shop to book your wellness session with Dee Davis health educator and yoga instructor to help get you started into adding meditation into your lifestyle.