Mindfulness Meditation -
The Cornerstone Technique
How Is It Different?
Mindfulness meditation is different from concentration in one important way. Concentration involves focusing your attention on a single object.
In mindfulness meditation, every part of your experience is welcomed and accepted.
You take on the role of an impartial observer of everything that passes before your attention.
Your intention is not to be focused, but rather to be mindful: fully aware and awake of what is going on in the present moment.
If you are just looking for something ‘different’ or ‘interesting ‘to do, then mindfulness meditation is not for you. Why?
It is because your thoughts will already be in the future, objecting and judging. You will be quick to conclude that meditation is ‘nonsense ‘or ‘a complete waste of time.’
What Is It?
Mindfulness Meditation, also known as Insightful Meditation, is a meditation technique which essentially involves focusing on your mind on the present.
Basically, any activity done mindfully is meditation. Mindfulness means you stay aware of all the physical and mental activities of the present.
You can practice mindfulness meditation either formally e.g. yoga or informally by relishing and enjoying the experience of each moment.
It focuses your attention on your thoughts, actions, and present moment non-critically. Once you achieve that, your mind naturally feels content.
This is one of the meditation techniques whose aim it to develop and strengthen the harmony of your mind, activity and body - complete synchronization.
It helps you develop a sense of sensitivity in being in every moment as opposed to being in a trance, hypnotised or being asleep. It means staying in touch with who is doing the doing.
As you become more mindful, you begin to discover is that this calmness or harmony is a natural aspect of the mind. It is recognition of sanity.
Eventually you are able to remain peacefully in this state of mind without struggling. You learn to accept stressful situations instead of avoiding them.
In other words, it means living in the NOW - open to whatever happens. You are completely at one with what is happening right here, right now. The future and the past have no relevance.
How You Do It
- Sit in an appropriate upright position, cross-legged if you can
- Focus on our breath or anything else, such as mental and physical processes to help you become aware of your present thought patterns and internal state.
- The breath is still used as an anchor , but apart from that, no attempt is made to direct the attention.
- Your intention is not to be focused, but rather to be mindful: fully aware and awake of what is going on in the NOW.
Whatever distractions arise: sounds, images, ideas, or feelings arise, they are welcomed. Nothing is excluded.
You simply pay attention to whatever is there. You do not judge or evaluate – you just sit quietly and watch: impartial observer.
It can be applied to all experiences in life. I know it may sound difficult,
It is not complicated. It just has a lot to do with consideration of the things you do in your everyday life.
Mindfulness is about accepting reality and the NOW, whatever doing.
Benefits
- It equips you to deal with stressful situations by accepting them instead of trying to fight them. After all, it already is what it is.
- It is an effective and phenomenal technique of meditation against life’s troubles and situations
- It helps you to deal with negative emotions and situations in the most effective manner
- Accept difficult situations in our lives without much resistance
- It helps in training and developing the strengths of the mind to achieve this peacefulness
- Helps and trains our mind from getting distracted by outside disturbances and enables us to focus our thoughts and relax the mind
Mindfulness meditation is a technique of introspection or insight. Through it you can acquire a clear picture of your thoughts and inner state.
You can spotlight your thoughts, and even guide your mind to perceive things and situations more efficiently.
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