Let’s Get Started with Mindfulness

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Meditation is an ancient yogic practice that helps to keep the body, mind, and spirit in harmony. Meditation is one of the five yogic principles. Practicing meditation allows us to examine our sensations, thoughts, and emotions efficiently and helps our body and brain process them better. Meditation is highly beneficial for reducing stress and improving focus. [1] There are many ways in which you can practice meditation, one of which is mindfulness. In this article, we will learn how to meditate efficiently and how to reap its maximum benefits.

Meaning of Mindfulness

Mindfulness refers to the ability to be entirely present in the moment without making any judgment. It is a form of meditation that makes us aware of all our emotions, thoughts, and sensations while also regulating our responses to them. [2]

Why Should You Practice Mindfulness Meditation? ^{[2] [3]}

1. Mindfulness meditation offers numerous benefits to your physical health. It helps relieve stress, lower blood pressure, improve sleep, cure chronic pains, and boost digestion.
2. It aids in the treatment of a variety of ailments, including depression, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders, among others.
3. It helps to boost your overall happiness. Mindfulness meditation allows the mind to effectively engage in the present activity at its full capacity by teaching you to stay in the present moment.
4. Your self-esteem and confidence tend to rise as a result of worrying less and enjoying the moment.
5. Mindfulness also helps to declutter your mind and organize your thoughts, thereby helping you to connect better with yourself.

Mindfulness Meditation: How to Meditate Efficiently

1. Fix a Place:

Find a comfortable place for meditation that should make you feel calm, safe, and quiet.

2. Start With a Time Limit:

Set a time limit for yourself to meditate. For the first several days, choose a shorter period and progressively increase it. You can begin by meditating for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Select Your Posture: 

To meditate, figure out the position in which you can sit for a long period. You can kneel, sit, stand, or stay in any posture that makes you feel comfortable.

4. Tune in Into Your Intention:

After you are seated in a comfortable posture, try to connect with your intention. Mindfulness meditation is a nourishing form of self-care. Try to hold this intention in awareness and let your bodily sensations process it.   

5. Shift Your Attention to Your Breaths:

The fundamental element of mindfulness meditation is to be mindful of your breaths and bodily sensations. Try to focus on your breaths and follow your breathing rhythm. [4]

6. Be Kind to Your Thoughts:

Allow all of your thoughts and visions to enter your mind. Your mind might wander off. Try to return to meditation, but do not try to obstruct the flow of thoughts and sensations. [5]

7. No Judgements:

Do not pass judgment on your thoughts. Allow them to flow at their own pace. It is a crucial step in practicing mindfulness. [5]

8. Understand the Impacts of Mindfulness:

After you’ve finished meditating, pay attention to the sights and sensations in your surroundings. Then, understand how your body feels. [5]

Tips to Practice Mindfulness Meditation Effectively 

1. Mindfulness meditation enables us to accept our ideas and feelings without passing judgment on them. It’s a lengthy procedure. Be gentle with your body and mind while allowing them to assimilate things at their own pace. [5]
2. While practicing mindfulness, observe tingling, tickling, or itching sensations in your body without passing judgment. Allow these sensations to move through your body and pay attention to them from head to toe. [5]
3. Allow sensory sensations in your body to pass without making any judgment. Identify each experience as it relates to sight, sound, and other factors. For example, when you hear the sound of a train engine, do not try to obstruct your mind from listening to it. Let that sensation flow through your body, and then gradually return to meditation. [5]
4. Observe your emotional reactions, such as rage, delight, frustration, and so on. Allow your mind to feel them in your body and accept your feelings without passing any judgment. [5]
5. Experiencing cravings and impulses while practicing mindfulness meditation is normal. Allow them to pass and pay attention to the flow of these urges. Then, gently relax your body and mind and return to meditation. 
6. Although mindfulness is practiced best in a comfortable spot, you can also practice it while doing your chores. All you have to do is observe your breaths, bodily sensations, and the flow of your thoughts as you walk in the park, cook your meals, or do any other activity. 

FAQs

Conclusion 

To get started with mindfulness, you must be clear with your intention. It is a nourishing form of self-care. You should be aware of your feelings and accept your emotions without any judgment. Mindfulness meditation is one of the best forms of meditation, and regular practice of mindfulness can help boost efficiency while also improving attention and concentration. Thus, the question ‘how to meditate efficiently’ has been answered in this article.

Disclaimer

This article is written from a health and wellness perspective. It is not a substitute for medical advice.

References

1. Meditation: Techniques and Benefits
2. Effects of Mindfulness on Psychological Health: A Review of Empirical Studies
3. Mindfulness Meditation
4. Effect of Mindfulness Breathing Meditation on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial among University Students
5. Mindfulness and Mindfulness (or Insight) Meditation
6. Attention and Working Memory in Mindfulness-Meditation Practices
7. Mindfulness meditation for insomnia: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials