Mindfulness and Meditation Explained

Mindfulness is simply the practice of being aware. Because it is a practice, it gets easier the more you do it. You really don’t need to dedicate hours of time to it or add it to your to-do list. If you can get into the habit of being fully aware for moments throughout your day and feel into the parts of your existence beyond your overthinking mind, life starts to flow more freely within you and around you. You’ll start to feel more of life; more of yourself.  See, our wonderful mind has a way of keeping us stuck in the past or in an imaginary future!

Mindfulness is all about being here, in the present moment. How often can we say we are truly present throughout our day-to-day lives? We have been conditioned to think ahead, prepare and plan for events, make decisions about our future, and even fear what the future holds, so yes, this practice may seem challenging. When we are fully present, we let go of all those things and surrender to the here and now.

Of course, those conditioned ways of thinking may still be there, but if you can practice shifting your consciousness to become the observer of your thoughts, you will be less likely to become attached to them. It is the attachment to thoughts that stops us from feeling our entire experience in this moment, because your body is responding to a ‘story’ in your mind, rather than what is real right now.

With a regular mindfulness practice comes more joy, patience, trust, love, gratitude, awe, wonder and connection. Now those things alone are enough to make us want to commit to it and take some time out to learn more about it, right? But then there’s the reduction in stress and anxiety, improved sleep and overall mood, nervous system regulation, ease of pain and tension (emotional and physical), improvements in your work and personal relationships, greater resilience, clarity and perspective, the list goes on. It is also a way to develop self-awareness and connect with your true feelings and emotions to give them space to move. The aim of mindfulness is not necessarily to change anything, but to become aware and accept things as they are right now, even if it feels uncomfortable. Dedicating time to a regular practice of mindfulness will better prepare you for other types of meditation. You will be able to follow guidance with more ease and less expectation. Eventually, over time, meditation stops becoming a practice and becomes a new way of life.

Spending time in natural outdoor spaces makes it easier to practice mindfulness.

Exploring Meditation

There are many different types of meditation that aim to shift your conscious state, aid relaxation, promote holistic healing and increase self-awareness. It really is about finding a practice that works for you. It doesn’t have to be complicated and require lots of effort.  All you need is curiosity and a willingness to explore.

Practicing meditation is a way of creating space within our being. It is where we learn to bring equanimity into our everyday lives, which is a feeling of calm and composure, despite challenges. Meditation enables us to let go of the things that do not serve us, to make way for the things that do serve us. Each time we practice, we are creating space by simply letting go of repeating and unnecessary thoughts. We are encouraging the thinking mind to be in the present moment, and this encourages new opportunities for creativity and inner growth. Eventually, we find that we are moving forward with a more natural flow and less resistance. We are expanding our awareness and living more fully, flowing with ease, clarity, gratitude, love and true peace of mind.

When we hold on to things, we often hold on too tightly and for too long. This not only relates to thoughts and feelings, but to people, material things, expectations of ourselves and others, and the way we believe things should be. In Buddhism, it is said that this grasping mentality is the cause of a lot of our suffering, and if you think about it, it really does make so much sense why this is.

Our conditioned mind will usually try to resist, but if we develop and improve our self-awareness, we can stop our thinking mind from getting in the way of us moving forward. This comes with time, patience and of course, practice.

A Simple and Effective Practice

Try this practice and take notice of how you feel at the end, compared to at the start.

Comfortably Seated

Inhale slowly and deeply, filling up your belly and chest. Exhale and release everything with an “aahh” sound.

Count ten full breaths. Long, deep inhales and slow, extended exhales.

Now become aware of your physical self. How does your whole body feel? Are there any little pockets of tension still holding on?

Drop your shoulders away from your ears, soften your jaw and let your gaze turn inwards as you gently close your eyes.

Imagine your bones softening and your joints breathing. Direct your inhales into any areas of tension and feel into the practice of letting go and releasing.

If thoughts come in, receive them with love, observe them, then let them pass on by with no attachments or judgements. Always returning to the awareness of the relaxed, breathing body.

Do this until you feel present, connected and fully aware of yourself in the moment. It usually only takes a couple of minutes and can quickly relieve feelings of stress and anxiety

This blog is an excerpt from Rebecca's book, Coming Home - A Journey of Healing and Awakening Through Poetry and Meditation. You can order the book on Amazon here, or order by email (gift wrapped options are available).