What is Mindfulness?
We spend so much of our life in the past or the future, worrying or fantasizing, constantly dwelling in our own mental stories. This only leads to unhappiness and depression. In the end, the past is only memory and the future is only imagination; both are not real living.
"If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present." — Lao-Tzu
Instead of being stuck in the past or constantly postponing our life to the future, mindfulness is the way of waking up to the present moment, opening up to life just as it is.Instead of habitually reacting to anger, aggression, irritation, fear, boredom, depression, craving, addiction, etc., mindfulness gives us a space and freedom to choose and respond skillfully.
Mindfulness is a compassionate way of "being" — from where we can witness everything compassionately without bombarded by them, from where we can navigate our life with dignity and freedom.
Mindfulnessis simple, but not easy. It takes regular practice to master it. When mindfulness becomes stable and deep in our experience, it leads to clarity and wisdom.Mindfulness is the only real power we have; everything else is just an illusion. Without mindfulness, we are just automaton conditioned by our genes and the environment.
Mindfulness is our home, our birthright, and it's up to us to claim it!
Why Mindfulness?
Though there is a tremendous growth in our conveniences and comforts, yet everyone feels enormous pressure and stress at every level. By only focusing on external factors, we lost touch with the most precious thing of all — a healthy, quality mind! Today we are growing up ever more stressed and depressed.
As studies show that mindfulness practices affect our body from the cellular level to brain structural level in a positive way. We become more self-aware, grounded, emotionally intelligent and effective. Mindfulness is a foundation for our well-being, resilience and happiness.
Basic Meditation Instructions
- Setting up a timer for the duration of meditation, say 10 minutes.
- Sitting comfortably cross-legged on a cushion; or on a chair with both feet placed on the ground. (any other arrangement or posture is OK, but aim for the following embodiment)
- Letting the overall posture be Grounded (stable and steady), Strong back (natural straight back), Open tender heart (Open and soft front) and Uplifted (bringing a sense of dignity and uplifted to the posture).
- Gently resting both hands on thighs.
- Letting the gaze be placed at 4 to 6 feet in the front, with a soft gaze, not looking at anything in particular. (Or if you prefer, closing the eyes)
- Scanning the body slowly from toe to head step by step and directly sensing and feeling each part. If any part of the body is tensed, trying to relax it a bit — perhaps breathing into that area.
- Relaxing shoulders and jaws.
- Now gathering the attention and placed it on the sensation ofnatural breathing— natural breathing in... natural breathing out. This may be anywhere that you find it easier to observe the natural breathing - perhaps raising and falling of abdomen or air coming and going out at nostrils.
- Whenever you catch yourself that the mind is distracted in thoughts, worries, fantasies, mental stories, etc., gently bringing the attention back to the breathingwithout any judgments. Remembering that the goal is not to suppress thoughts, at the same time, not indulging in it and feeding it further. Mindfulness is the middle way between suppression and indulgence.
- The mind naturally tends to wander. The practice is to simply recognize it and gently bring it back to the breathingagain and again and againwithout any judgments.
- Regular practice is the key.
Mindfulness Meditation
Meditation is not meant to run away from our problems and pain, but to get closer to them to get to know them intimately. Meditation is a training ground to cultivate mindfulness, so it naturally expands to everyday life. Meditation leads to a deeper relaxation, concentration and clarity of the mind. This concentration and clarity further leads to purification of the mind - towards natural harmonious peacefulness and happiness.
"You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day - unless you're too busy; then you should sit for an hour." — Zen Proverb