Intro To Mindfulness Meditation For Beginners

Mindfulness and mindfulness meditation may not be what you think they are. Today I introduce you to a short and simple mindful practice that is about awareness and acceptance. There are many different types of meditation; today's practice is about learning to become more present.

Transcript

Hi there. If you're just starting out, I want you to forget everything you think you know about mindfulness or mindfulness meditation. My name is Melissa Max. I'm a certified mindfulness coach and teacher. And mindfulness and meditation don't necessarily go hand in hand. They can, But they don't have to. And there are many different types of meditation. Today we're going to do a simple Intro to Mindfulness Meditation. And this isn't about transcendence or becoming a yogi or clearing your mind. The two key words when we talk about mindfulness are awareness and acceptance. So you're aware of what is in the current moment and you accept it at face value in that moment. And when we're talking about mindfulness in terms of meditation, This means when thoughts come in, As we begin this exercise, And they will. We don't get mad at ourselves. We don't push the thought away. We don't chase the thought. We're just aware of the thought. So for a lot of formal meditation practices, They encourage you to sit up straight and have your hands in a certain position. I'm not going to ask you to do that. I'm going to ask you to do whatever is comfortable for you. You can lay down if you want. So settle in. I would like you to close your eyes. And first, We're just going to be aware of a couple of things. We're going to be aware of. Our breath. We're not going to try to change it. Our mind always wants to get involved in this. And we're not going to let it. We're just going to be aware of what our breath feels like, How quickly we're breathing. Are we breathing in through the nose? Are we a mouth breather? Okay, Now I want you to be aware of where your body is. Is making contact. So if you're in a chair. Maybe you feel the chair against your back, Against your butt, Against your legs. If you're laying down, Maybe you feel the weight of your body against the bed or the floor. Now say something happens, Say you have an itch or a cramp in your toe. Become aware of it. But for this practice, You're going to accept it. You're not going to try to change it. You're just going to note it. Now see if you can be aware of more than one thing at a time. So we're aware of our breathing, But we're also aware of the sensation of our body making contact. When your mind wanders, And it will. When it's the sky. Ooh, I have to go to the grocery store. Don't get mad at yourself for having the thought. Don't chase the thought. Just note, Oh, There's a thought. And let it go. You still with me? And that's it. Congratulations and welcome. That was your very first mindfulness meditation practice.