Welcome to Basic Mindfulness Meditation designed to bring more calm,
Clarity,
And joy into your life.
Maybe you've joined me because you're looking for a way to lessen the stress and anxiety you feel on a day-to-day basis.
Perhaps you'd like to improve your health and enjoy a more restful sleep.
For many of us,
These are difficult goals to attain because we're experiencing more stress and anxiety than ever before.
We experience daily pressure to succeed and we're self-critical when we don't.
We rush around in the daily grind of life and then at the end of the day fall into bed exhausted waiting for weekends to come around.
We spend our time racing the clock stressed out about what we didn't achieve or what's next on our plate.
Overwhelmed is why millions of people are flocking to mindfulness.
It's an amazing practice that offers us the ability to wake up,
Pay attention,
And become present so we can get the most out of our lives.
It teaches us all kinds of things like how to more calmly respond to situations and recognize our unhealthy habits.
It also helps us become more tolerant,
Less judgmental,
And kinder to ourselves and others.
A university study showed that participating in a mindfulness meditation program made measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory,
A sense of self-empathy,
And stress.
So the question is,
Do we start practicing it?
The best way to understand and develop mindfulness is through meditation.
It's a universal practice but has nothing to do with organized religion of any kind.
It can be done by anyone at any time in any place.
So to get started for our first practice,
We'll do a breathing meditation to concentrate the mind.
Find a quiet place to sit for you so you won't be disturbed.
Sit with a straight back on a cushion or chair in a position that feels comfortable.
Close your eyes.
Press your hands gently on your knees.
Keep your upper body straight.
The chest is soft.
Let there be a soft smile in the corner of your lips and bring your attention to the tip of your tongue.
Let it fall.
Relax.
Let your body rest easily and gently.
Tap into the natural breath.
Focus on the rising of your belly on the inhalations and the lowering of your belly on the exhalation.
If you find it easier to focus on the breath as it enters your nose and exits and cascades over your upper lip as you exhale,
Pay attention to wherever the breath feels strongest and when it's the easiest to follow.
Keep the rhythm of your breathing natural,
Not trying to change it in any way.
Just being aware that if you need help,
You can try counting rhythmically.
You'll find as you continue mindfulness practice,
This state of still awareness will become more and more accessible here.
There's just one catch,
Similar to exercise,
Which requires regularity.
Mindfulness takes practice.
It's not enough to just read about it or think about it.
You actually have to apply it in order for it to work.
The longer you stick with it,
The easier it will become.
Congratulations for completing your basic mindfulness meditation.
