Understanding Mindfulness Meditation

 How do you learn to meditate? In mindfulness meditation we learn to pay attention while breathing in and out, and how to notice when the mind moves away from this task. This breathing practice creates attention and attention muscles.

When we pay attention to our breath, we learn how to return to the present moment and stay there - deliberately anchoring ourselves without judgment here and now.

The idea behind mindfulness seems simple - it takes patience to practice. Indeed, famous meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg explains that her first experience with meditation showed how quickly her mind was caught up in other tasks. “Okay, before my mind started wandering, I thought about 800 breaths. And he was breathing in shock and I was going to go, ”says Salzberg.

You can find other meditation techniques here! You can also learn more on mindfulness meditation here.

While meditation may not heal everything, it can definitely provide a much needed space in your life. Sometimes this is all we need to make better choices for ourselves, our families and our communities. The most important tools you can bring with you in your meditation practice are a little patience, some compassion for yourself, and a comfortable place to sit.

When we meditate, we add far-reaching and long-lasting benefits to our lives. And bonus: You don't need extra equipment or an expensive subscription.

Here are five reasons to meditate:

Understand your pain

Reduce your stress

Connect better

Improve the focus

Reduce brain chatter

If you want to use meditation to manifest your dream life, look at this article.

How to Meditate

Meditation is something anyone can do, here's how to do it.

Meditation is simpler (and more difficult) than most people think. Read these steps, make sure you are somewhere you can relax during this process, set a timer, and give it a shot:

1) sit down

Find a place to sit that makes you feel calm and quiet.

2) set a time limit

If you're just getting started, choosing a short time, like five or 10 minutes, can help.

3) Take care of your body

You can sit on a chair with your feet on the floor, sit cross-legged loosely, kneel - everything is fine. Just make sure you are balanced and in a position where you can stay for a while.

4) feel your breath

Watch the sensation of your breath as you get in and out.

5) notice when your mind wanders

Inevitably, your attention will take your breath away and go elsewhere. When you notice that your mind is wandering in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes, it is enough to give your attention to your breath.

6) Be gentle with your wandering mind

Don't judge yourself or be obsessed with the content of the thoughts you're lost in. Just come back.

7) Close with kindness

When you are ready, slowly raise your gaze (open if your eyes are closed). Stop for a moment and notice the sounds in the environment. Pay attention to how your body is feeling right now. Notice your thoughts and feelings.

So much! This is the practice. You walk away, come back and try to do this as gently as possible.