Mindful meditation for beginners
Getting Started with Mindfulness - Mindful
You have questions about mindfulness and meditation.
Mindful has the answers.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis.
Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you’re being mindful. And there’s growing research showing that when you train your brain to be mindful, you’re actually remodeling the physical structure of your brain.
The goal of mindfulness is to wake up to the inner workings of our mental, emotional, and physical processes.
What is meditation?
Meditation is exploring. It’s not a fixed destination. Your head doesn’t become vacuumed free of thought, utterly undistracted. It’s a special place where each and every moment is momentous. When we meditate we venture into the workings of our minds: our sensations (air blowing on our skin or a harsh smell wafting into the room), our emotions (love this, hate that, crave this, loathe that) and thoughts (wouldn’t it be weird to see an elephant playing a trumpet).
Mindfulness meditation asks us to suspend judgment and unleash our natural curiosity about the workings of the mind, approaching our experience with warmth and kindness, to ourselves and others.
How do I practice mindfulness and meditation?
Mindfulness is available to us in every moment, whether through meditations and body scans, or mindful moment practices like taking time to pause and breathe when the phone rings instead of rushing to answer it.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, creator of the research-backed stress-reduction program Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), explains how mindfulness lights up parts of our brains that aren’t normally activated when we’re mindlessly running on autopilot.
“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally,” says Kabat-Zinn. “And then I sometimes add, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.”
The Basics of Mindfulness Practice
Mindfulness helps us put some space between ourselves and our reactions, breaking down our conditioned responses. Here’s how to tune into mindfulness throughout the day:
- Set aside some time. You don’t need a meditation cushion or bench, or any sort of special equipment to access your mindfulness skills—but you do need to set aside some time and space.
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Observe the present moment as it is.
The aim of mindfulness is not quieting the mind, or attempting to achieve a state of eternal calm. The goal is simple: we’re aiming to pay attention to the present moment, without judgment. Easier said than done, we know. - Let your judgments roll by. When we notice judgments arise during our practice, we can make a mental note of them, and let them pass.
- Return to observing the present moment as it is. Our minds often get carried away in thought. That’s why mindfulness is the practice of returning, again and again, to the present moment.
- Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself for whatever thoughts crop up, just practice recognizing when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back.
That’s the practice. It’s often been said that it’s very simple, but it’s not necessarily easy. The work is to just keep doing it. Results will accrue.
How to Meditate
This meditation focuses on the breath, not because there is anything special about it, but because the physical sensation of breathing is always there and you can use it as an anchor to the present moment.
Throughout the practice you may find yourself caught up in thoughts, emotions, sounds—wherever your mind goes, simply come back again to the next breath. Even if you only come back once, that’s okay.
A Simple Meditation Practice
- Sit comfortably. Find a spot that gives you a stable, solid, comfortable seat.
- Notice what your legs are doing. If on a cushion, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. If on a chair, rest the bottoms of your feet on the floor.
- Straighten your upper body—but don’t stiffen. Your spine has natural curvature. Let it be there.
- Notice what your arms are doing. Situate your upper arms parallel to your upper body. Rest the palms of your hands on your legs wherever it feels most natural.
- Soften your gaze. Drop your chin a little and let your gaze fall gently downward. It’s not necessary to close your eyes. You can simply let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it.
- Feel your breath. Bring your attention to the physical sensation of breathing: the air moving through your nose or mouth, the rising and falling of your belly, or your chest.
- Notice when your mind wanders from your breath. Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. Don’t worry. There’s no need to block or eliminate thinking. When you notice your mind wandering gently return your attention to the breath.
- Be kind about your wandering mind. You may find your mind wandering constantly—that’s normal, too. Instead of wrestling with your thoughts, practice observing them without reacting. Just sit and pay attention. As hard as it is to maintain, that’s all there is. Come back to your breath over and over again, without judgment or expectation.
- When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze (if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment.
Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.
Mindful Practices for Every Day
As you spend time practicing mindfulness, you’ll probably find yourself feeling kinder, calmer, and more patient. These shifts in your experience are likely to generate changes in other parts of your life as well.
Mindfulness can help you become more playful, maximize your enjoyment of a long conversation with a friend over a cup of tea, then wind down for a relaxing night’s sleep. Try these 4 practices this week:
Meditation 101: Simple Guided Meditations
1. A Simple Breathing Meditation for Beginners
5-Minute Breathing Meditation
- 5:00
This practice can help reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, cool yourself down when your temper flares, and sharpen your concentration skills.
2. A Body Scan to Cultivate Mindfulness
3-Minute Body Scan Meditation
- 3:00
A brief mindfulness meditation practice to relax your body and focus your mind.
3. A Simple Awareness of Breath Practice
An 11-Minute Awareness of Breath Meditation
- 11:00
One of the oldest meditation practices is also one of the simplest: Sit, and know you’re sitting.
4. A Compassion Meditation
Breathing Compassion In and Out
- 20:00
A loving-kindness meditation to reduce negative emotions like anxiety and depression and increase positive emotions like happiness and joy.
5. A Guided Meditation for Easing into Sleep
A Guided Meditation for Sleep
- 20:00
A 20-minute bedtime practice to help you stay settled and less caught up in your thoughts, as you fall asleep.
6. A Meditation Practice for Anxiety
A 20-Minute Meditation for Working with Anxiety
- 20:00
This meditation combines breath awareness, the body scan, and mindfulness of thoughts to explore sources of stress and anxiety.
7.
A Loving-Kindness Meditation for Deep Connection Loving-Kindness Heartscape Meditation
- 47:00
Jon Kabat-Zinn leads this heartscape meditation for deep healing of ourselves and others.
Try this free sample of our How to Meditate Course: Making Mindfulness a Habit—with Dr. Elisha Goldstein.
FREE SAMPLE OF HOW TO MEDITATE COURSE
5 Common Mindfulness Meditation Questions
1. Is there a wrong way to meditate? A right way to meditate?
People think they’re messing up when they’re meditating because of how busy the mind is. But getting lost in thought, noticing it, and returning to your chosen meditation object— breath, sound, body sensation, or something else—is how it’s done. That’s about it. If you’re doing that, you’re doing it right!
2. Are there more formal ways to take up mindfulness practice?
Mindfulness can be practiced solo, anytime, or with like-minded friends.
But there are others ways, and many resources, to tap into. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and other mindfulness-based trainings are available across North America. We’ve organized a list of centers here.
Daily guided meditations are also available by smartphone app, or you can practice in person at a meditation center. Read more about the types of programs currently available.
3. Do I have to practice every day?
No, but being that it’s a beneficial practice, you may well find that the more you do it, the more you’ll find it beneficial to your life. Read Jack Kornfield’s guidelines for developing a daily practice here.
4. How do I find a meditation instructor?
If you want to make mindfulness a part of your life, you’ll probably want to consider working with a meditation teacher or instructor. You can even do that online using a video chat format of some kind, but even then the same principles apply.
Here are 4 questions to consider when looking for a meditation teacher: 1) Do you have good chemistry with them? 2) Are they open and accessible? 3) Do they have a deep understanding of the practice? 4) Could they regard you like a friend?
5. How do yoga and mindfulness work together?
There are a number of yoga poses that will help you with your mindfulness meditation practice. Here are 10 simple yoga exercises to reduce stress, improve well-being, and get you primed for a sitting meditation session—or anytime.
What are the benefits of meditation?
Of course, when we meditate it doesn’t help to fixate on the benefits, but rather just to do the practice. That being said, there are plenty of benefits. Here are five reasons to practice mindfulness.
- Understand your pain. Pain is a fact of life, but it doesn’t have to rule you. Mindfulness can help you reshape your relationship with mental and physical pain.
- Connect better.
Ever find yourself staring blankly at a friend, lover, child, and you’ve no idea what they’re saying? Mindfulness helps you give them your full attention.
- Lower stress. There’s lots of evidence these days that excess stress causes lots of illnesses and makes other illnesses worse. Mindfulness decreases stress.
- Focus your mind. It can be frustrating to have our mind stray off what we’re doing and be pulled in six directions. Meditation hones our innate ability to focus.
- Reduce brain chatter.The nattering, chattering voice in our head seems never to leave us alone. Isn’t it time we gave it a little break?
A Basic Meditation to Tame Your Inner Critic
- 12:00
An in-the-moment exercise for confronting the nagging voice in your head.
A 5-minute Gratitude Practice: Savor Through the Senses
- 5:00
A mindfulness practice for cultivating life’s small delights as you move through the senses.
A Mindfulness Practice for Preschoolers
- 4:00
A practice for teaching preschool children the basics of mindfulness by drawing on the elements of nature.
A Mindfulness Practice for Kids: Coming Back to the Positive
- 8:00
A simple practice to help kids take some time to notice what has gone well and see what happens next.
A Mindfulness Practice for Teens and Tweens
- 8:00
A simple meditation, appropriate for older kids, that uses counting breaths to cultivate mindful awareness, decrease mind wandering and negative thought loops, and improve mood.
Mindful movement can help you tap into that space beyond your busy mind where you are already calm and clear. By focusing on the breath while doing some simple movements you can synchronize your mind and body with breath and rhythm. What happens when you do that, even after just a few minutes, is you begin to pause and start to focus.
Why Practice Mindfulness?
Some of the most popular ideas about mindfulness are just plain wrong. When you begin to practice it, you may find the experience quite different than what you expected. There’s a good chance you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Mindful’s editor-in-chief, Barry Boyce sets the record straight regarding these 5 things people get wrong about mindfulness:
- Mindfulness isn’t about “fixing” you
- Mindfulness is not about stopping your thoughts
- Mindfulness does not belong to a religion
- Mindfulness is not an escape from reality
- Mindfulness is not a panacea
Mindfulness Is About More than Just Stress Reduction
Stress reduction is often an effect of mindfulness practice, but the ultimate goal isn’t meant to be stress reduction.
The goal of mindfulness is to wake up to the inner workings of our mental, emotional, and physical processes.
Mindfulness trains your body to thrive: Athletes around the world use mindfulness to foster peak performance—from university basketball players practicing acceptance of negative thoughts before games, to BMX champions learning to follow their breath, and big-wave surfers transforming their fears. Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll, assisted by sports psychologist Michael Gervais, talks about coaching the “whole person.” As writer Hugh Delehanty illustrates, players learn a blend of mindfulness, which Gervais calls tactical breathing, and cognitive behavioral training to foster what he calls “full presence and conviction in the moment.”
Mindfulness boosts creativity: Whether it’s writing, drawing, or coloring, they all have accompanying meditative practices. We can also apply mindfulness to the creative process.
Mindfulness strengthens neural connections: By training our brains in mindfulness and related practices, we can build new neural pathways and networks in the brain, boosting concentration, flexibility, and awareness.
Well-being is a skill that can be learned. Try this basic meditation to strengthen neural connections.
Explore Mindful
Mindful has many resources to help you live a more mindful life and tap into the best of who you are:
- How to Meditate
- Guided Meditation
- Meditation for Anxiety
- Mindful Magazine Subscription
- Special Edition Guides
- Mindful Online Learning
Meditation Apps
Meditation for Beginners - Headspace
Key takeaways:
It only takes a few minutes to meditate, and we’ll feel benefits quickly with regular practice
There’s no right or wrong way to meditate, even if we have trouble at first
Try meditation for beginners with Headspace
What is meditation?
Meditation is the practice of intentionally spending time with our mind. We take time out of our busy days to sit, breathe, and try to remain focused on our breath.
Doing this helps us become more aware of our thoughts, act more compassionately toward ourselves and others, and connect with the present moment.
People might associate meditation with sitting in silence and stopping all of our thoughts and feelings to become calm. But that’s not really how the mind works, and neither does meditation. Rather than trying to stop our thoughts, we practice letting thoughts come and go.
How do we do this? Let’s think of thoughts like traffic in the mind, always zipping by.
Sometimes we see a flashy car and chase after it, kind of like when we get caught up in analyzing or judging a thought or when we get lost in a daydream. Other times, we see a roadblock ahead and try to resist it, like we do when we think or feel something uncomfortable. Meditation trains us to notice the traffic without chasing or fighting it — just to let the thought come. Then gently shift our focus away from it and back onto our breath — to let the thought go.
The more we practice, the more we can see thoughts for what they are: just thoughts.
It’ll get easier to let them go and “get out of our heads” to be more engaged in what we’re doing, whether we’re spending time with family, making time for self-care, or working against a deadline.
What does meditation do?
Life is sometimes difficult, stressful, and challenging. We can’t control what happens, but we do have the potential to change the way we relate to those things. We need awareness to understand our own mind (our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors). And we need compassion to connect with ourselves and others.
Meditation creates the conditions for us to see things more clearly, feel calmer and content, and be kind to ourselves and others no matter what’s happening in our lives. But that doesn’t mean we’ll feel clear, calm, and kind as soon as we start or finish. Since the mind is always changing, our experience might feel different each time we meditate.
We’re teaching ourselves to be comfortable with our mind just the way it is. It really is that simple.
Meditation isn’t about achieving anything other than doing it: slowing down during our busy day, checking in with ourselves, and noticing how the mind is. Because meditation is about being kind to our mind.
What do I need to start meditating?
Meditation doesn’t require much. But it’s easiest to get started knowing these meditation basics:
- What matters most is consistency.
Ideally, we meditate a few times a week or daily. But even completing one meditation can lead to a reduction in mind wandering. We’ll feel more and more benefits the more we practice. Research shows that 30 days of Headspace reduces stress by a third and improves satisfaction with life.
It might be helpful to schedule meditation sessions like an exercise class or appointment. Or we could tack it onto an existing routine, like every time we shower or brush our teeth.
If we miss a day or more, it’s okay. We can simply pick up where we left off.
- The best time to meditate is whenever we can.
It doesn’t matter when (or where) we meditate, so choose whatever time works best. Meditation could be nice to do first thing in the morning before our day begins or at night in bed. We could always meditate to reset ourselves before our last work meeting or after we drop the kids off at school. Anytime we feel overwhelmed, we can take a break and meditate instead of pushing through.
- We only need a few minutes to meditate.
A short meditation can be five minutes or less. If we feel like that’s not enough, a 10-minute meditation is great for beginners. Once we have a consistent practice, we can slowly increase our time.
- Be prepared for noisy distractions.
We don’t need perfect quiet to meditate. Total silence might be too overwhelming in meditation for beginners. We become extra sensitive to every little sound when things are completely quiet.
Life is rarely ever quiet anyway. We can go into our meditation practice expecting that noises will happen, whether it’s loud music from a neighbor, a dog barking in the street, a truck backing up, or sounds in another room at home.
When they do, rather than becoming frustrated and focusing on the noise, “Why is my neighbor having a dance party right now?” or trying to tune it out, “I wish this music would stop,” we can notice our thought, let it go, and return to our breath.
We can always try earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, white noise machines, or soothing music — like the concentrating-boosting Focus music in the Headspace app.
- Sit and dress however feels good.
As long as our back is straight, our neck and shoulders are relaxed, and our chin is slightly tucked, we can sit wherever we feel comfortable for the length of the meditation. We can sit on our couch, a dining or office chair, propped up by pillows on the bed, or on a cushion. Cross or uncross the arms and legs, whatever feels natural. Consider loosening any clothing that’s too restrictive, taking off our shoes, or removing any accessory we tend to fidget with.
- Try guided meditation to learn from experts.
Guided meditation is a type of meditation led by a teacher who explains what to do. They cue us when to open and close our eyes, how to breathe, and break down other meditation techniques. Because they’re experts on how the mind works, they offer friendly motivation and practical advice beginners typically need, like tips for using what we learn during meditation in real life.
Once we’re familiar with the practice, we can try unguided meditation, which we do on our own.
- There’s no right or wrong way to meditate.
If we have trouble meditating at first, that’s okay. It happens to all of us. Even if we find ourselves wondering if we’re meditating correctly, don’t forget: they’re just thoughts.
What happens while meditating?
If we “do nothing” during meditation, then what happens? Here’s what to expect:
Our mind will wander. Even the pros get distracted by thoughts during meditation and forget to follow their breath, because no matter how practiced we are, the mind is always going to think.
So what do I do? Keep returning from our distracted thoughts to our breath. This trains the mind to let go of distractions more easily. Eventually, we’ll notice that we can meditate longer without getting distracted.
We might feel nothing. This doesn’t mean we’re doing it wrong or that we should give up.
So what do I do? Instead of letting doubt talk us out of it, take it day by day and keep checking in. We can also remind ourselves that we’re not wasting time when we meditate. We’re taking care of our mind.
We might feel emotional. Maybe during one practice, we’re impatient, irritable, bored, or angry, then worried, anxious, or sad the next. The mind is so used to being busy that it’s normal for all of our emotions and stress to pop up once we finally slow down.
So what do I do? Don’t try to push emotions away — they’ll only spring back more intensely. Give them the space they need, then let them go.
It can also be helpful to notice how emotions feel in the body. Is anxiety making us clench our fists? Is worry making us sweat? Is boredom causing us to zone out? Then we can use the breath to try and ease some of that tension.
We’ll be fidgety. As soon as we attempt to sit still, during meditation or any other time, it’s almost as if we can’t help but scratch an itch, stretch our neck, or cross and uncross our legs.
So what do I do? We can approach this common experience exactly like we approach distracting thoughts: the moment we realize we’re fidgeting, notice it, let it go, and return our focus to our breath.
We’ll probably try too hard. Meditating is different from learning other skills. For most things, the more effort we put in, the more we get out of it. But meditation is more like sleep. The harder we try to sleep, sometimes the harder it is to drift off. When we sit to meditate, if we try hard to empty the mind, it tends to feel full.
So what do I do? Remember: there’s no such thing as the perfect meditation. If we notice ourselves getting frustrated that the traffic in our mind is moving too fast or we’re wondering, “Why is this so hard?” we can give ourselves some compassion. Let out a big sigh to draw our focus back to the breath.
We might feel sleepy. If we doze off, don’t worry. The mind’s getting used to figuring out the difference between slowing down and shutting off.
So what do I do? To help keep the mind alert, try meditating upright over laying down.
What’s a good meditation for beginners?
One kind of meditation technique that’s good for beginners is a body scan meditation, which helps us check in with our bodies by mentally scanning each part.
Imagine a photocopier slowly moving over us, from our head to our toes, detecting any sensations in the body. As we scan down, we notice which parts feel relaxed or tense, comfortable or uncomfortable, light or heavy.
And we do our best to recognize how we’re feeling without judging ourselves or trying to change what we feel. Research shows that practicing regular body scans can help reduce stress-induced hormones.
Want to give it a try? With our eyes closed, bring our focus to the top of our heads. Slowly, begin to scan down. Spend about 20 seconds noticing how each body part feels, then move on to the next. Move from the head to the eyebrows, eyes and ears, our nose, mouth, and throat. Keep scanning down the neck and shoulders, the chest and arms, down to the toes.
When we get distracted by a thought, notice it, let it go, and return our focus to the area of the body we last left off. When we finish the body scan, open the eyes.
Try a free guided meditation for beginners
5 Ways of Mindfulness Meditation: A Practical Guide
If you have landed on this page, you probably already know what wonders mindfulness meditation can bring to your life. Perhaps you even witnessed the rapid transformation of your acquaintances, when they began to consciously relate to what was happening.
Therefore, I will not delay the introductory part and will immediately move on to a practical guide on how to do mindfulness meditation.
At the end of this article you will find a bonus: audio meditation for self-practice!
Don't forget to get 3 free mindfulness meditation lessons.
There I show you the fastest and safest way to learn how to meditate from scratch and bring mindfulness into your daily life.
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0028 There is a common misconception that meditation is control over thoughts and feelings. According to this misconception, you can choose what thoughts you want to think and what you don't, what you want to feel and what you don't. And then make something like an internal revolution, overthrowing the old evil regime of bad thoughts and establishing the power of good and positive. Of course, we can influence our thoughts and feelings and develop the mind in a healthy positive direction. Otherwise, why do we want to meditate at all? Error in the notion of a separate controlling "I" or ego. Believing that you can control and choose thoughts and feelings, you reinforce this internal split between thoughts, feelings and the ego, which seeks to control everything. This trap is best avoided. Right now, watch your inner screen for two minutes, where images and thoughts appear. Just pay attention to the thoughts and images that arise. Does it make sense to say that you choose these thoughts? Not really. It is clear. For the most part, thoughts appear much like the weather. They just appear out of nowhere. But if you don't choose those thoughts, then who chooses? The answer is: nobody. No one chooses what thoughts will appear in your mind, but you can also say that the entire universe is involved. This may be too deep an idea to start learning meditation, but try to accept it: every thought is a wave coming out of the ocean of reality, the cause and conditions of which are limitless. In this particular space-time arrangement, the universe appears as a thought. The ocean is a natural element, as well as our thought process. When you actually see this, it will be a moment of insight that will bring a sense of deep release. But for now, just take it as a hypothesis. The only meaning of "you" choosing thoughts is that you are still part of the universe. Of course, there are thoughts that are consciously chosen. If someone tells you, think of a pink elephant, you can project the image of a pink elephant on your inner screen. If someone asks you where the light switch is located in your kitchen, you can visualize the layout of your kitchen in your head. If you are writing a book, you are deliberately creating certain images and thoughts in your head. But all these thoughts do not apply to the practice of meditation. Our field of study is disorderly internal dialogue. These are the thoughts that create all sorts of problems. As a rule, these thoughts are the most upsetting, the most annoying, the most embarrassing, the most accusatory. The even better news is that we can develop communication with spontaneous thoughts, minimizing their negative impact on us. At this point, it is important to understand that the problem is not in the thoughts and feelings themselves, but in how you treat them. If you believe that thoughts and feelings determine who you are, then you will be drawn into their game, and thoughts will control you. Having uncontrolled thoughts is not a problem. The problem begins when we cling to thoughts. Instead of rejecting or clinging to thoughts, imagine that a thought is a train that arrives at the station when you are standing on the platform. The train stops and opens its doors. You have a choice: sit in it or say "no thanks" and just stay on the platform, watching the departing train. The same thing happens with thoughts: you can hang on to a thought, give it importance, or you can just let it go and watch it go. Once you have become familiar with the tricks of the restless mind, you are at an important stage. There are several erroneous turns along the path of mindfulness meditation, where beginner meditators often turn. You will benefit from avoiding these mistakes. These errors are based on the myth that a person controls his thoughts, as stated earlier. Error number 1 When you see a chaotic stream of thoughts in your head, some of which are aggressive, stupid, restless, destructive, you can decide: since this is my mind and my thoughts, and I cannot stop thinking about them, then I'm bad, defective, etc. You feel guilty about the thoughts in your mind. The right way You need to understand that you don't choose the thoughts that come into your mind. Thoughts appear just like the weather. It would never occur to you to blame yourself for watching a thunderstorm in your window. Error number 2 Watching wild, uncontrollable thoughts that jump like monkeys, you can try to suppress or change them by force. By doing this, you will increase the internal conflict between different parts of your being. You will give one part, your "I", a mission to suppress another part of you, which you will begin to perceive as something separate from you. In fact, it would rather worsen the problem. Make no effort to forcefully change what arises in the monkey mind. Remember, it's just the weather. But understand that you have the freedom to choose your attitude towards monkey thoughts. When you simply accept these thoughts without resisting them or letting them draw your attention, you embody the wisdom of the aikido master who, without resisting the energy of the opponent, fully accepts it and then turns it to his own advantage. Mindfulness is your inner aikido master. See also: how to meditate at home for beginners These terms, as well as most of the ideas for this article, I took from the book “Meditation Now” by Elizabeth Reninger. The thinking mind is the mind that uses words, images and logic. This intelligence, which owns information about things, understanding them intellectually. The wise mind is the source of intuition, immediate, direct and non-verbal knowledge. He is not limited by the rules of logic and does not speak any particular language. A wise mind manifests itself in moments of insight, intuitive insights or in a feeling of admiration for inexpressible beauty, moments of kindness and gratitude. Activating the wise mind is very simple - you just need to pay attention to the conscious presence associated with the words "I am." The difference between a thinking mind and a wise mind is like the difference between electricity and a light bulb. Electricity is the energy that allows a light bulb to emit light. A light bulb is an instrument through which electricity becomes visible. While light bulbs are visible and located in specific locations, electricity is invisible and has no specific location. Although there are many light bulbs in your house, there is only one electrical network that gives them all energy. In this example, electricity is akin to the wise mind, and light bulbs are the thinking mind. The brightness of a lamp, how powerfully and fully it conducts electricity to light up a room, can be compared to the degree of awareness of a person. Mindfulness is a function of the wise mind of a person. As I said, mindfulness is a function of the wise mind, it is the brightness of the lamp of your consciousness. Mindfulness can be contrasted with distracted attention. To be distracted means to be involved in the dramas of the monkey mind. This means that you "boarded the train" of your thoughts, images and emotions and it took your mind away from the "here and now" moment. Ten minutes, an hour, two hours later, you can wake up and only then realize that you have been pulled into a fantasy all this time, a fictional world. Don't worry about having thoughts. As the name implies, sitting meditation is practiced while sitting. A certain posture is not as important as the general principle of staying still for a while. When you sit still even for 10 minutes, the mind is refreshed. During longer meditations, the physical body goes into rest and recovery mode and benefits from a good night's sleep. When the physical body is still, you may notice subtle movements of energy and mind. Ideas are more clearly understood. In an air-conditioned room, the hum fills our ears. But when we turn it off, we are suddenly aware of the ticking of the clock, which has been lost all this time in the hum of the air conditioner. Sitting meditation works similarly. You position the physical body in such a way as to facilitate the cessation of gross levels of movement. This allows you to notice other things: the rhythm of breathing, the beating of the heart, the movement of subtle energies and thoughts. Then you start noticing the one who is noticing. Who is it? The still body position for meditation can also be taken standing or lying down. If you find it difficult to sit because of an injury, there is no problem. Find a pose that works for you. It is good to alternate the practice of motionless meditation with dynamic meditation techniques: qigong, yoga or walking. Over time, contemplative methods in motion will help you feel more deeply about sitting meditation. As you explore sitting meditation, you will find the most comfortable position for you. If you have enough flexibility, you can sit straight on the floor. There are several most suitable positions for sitting meditation. It is also good to sit with a straight back on a stool or chair, without leaning against the back, so that the spine is pulled up. Alternatively, you can place pillows between your back and the back of the chair. The main thing is to choose a position in which the body will feel relaxed. Sitting is a very good way for beginners because an upright back keeps you mentally active. But you can practice meditation in any position. Find what works for you. The initial set-up for the meditation process is the same whether you are sitting on the floor, on a cushion, or in a chair. In this meditation you will develop awareness. This is the part of you that can simply observe thoughts and images without being drawn into them. Think of thoughts and images as waves on the surface of the ocean, and the part of you watching them as the deepest part of the ocean. Even in the midst of a raging storm with huge roaring waves on the surface, the depth remains calm and quiet. You can also imagine thoughts and images as characters in a movie, and awareness as a cinema screen where they appear and disappear. The plot of the film can be extremely emotional, covering intellectual or political issues. The characters in the film can love or hate each other. But does the screen hate or love the characters? No, the screen remains an absolutely impartial observer, at the same time, being the true essence of the characters in the film. Don't forget to get 3 free mindfulness meditation lessons. There I show you the fastest and safest way to learn how to meditate from scratch and bring mindfulness into your daily life. Get in Telegram 0005 "Reasonable" credit card - installment plan 145 days for everything + free transfers and cash withdrawals + free maintenance forever + 3,000 ₽ as a gift! Until December 31st only! Read more. Many people think they don't have time for meditation and mindfulness. They think it takes a "guru" and a retreat in a monastery for three years, three months and three days. But everything is much simpler. Mindfulness can be practiced everywhere. Anytime. Anywhere. And you will immediately feel better. No unpleasant side effects. What other method gives such results? All you need is a couple of minutes. In the shower or during breakfast. In a traffic jam. In the bus. At the office for a cup of coffee. On the way to the conference room. Concentrate on what you are doing, but what you are not paying attention to because you are busy with your thoughts: The positive effect of practicing mindfulness meditation has been well studied by scientists from different countries. But the most important benefit of mindfulness meditation is that in the middle of a busy day you get your own island of calm and relaxation . Your own mini vacation. The easiest and most reliable way is to take the free meditation course for beginners . If you don't feel like going through or are too lazy (in vain), read on: It is important to turn meditation into a habit. Here are some good tips: 1. Start with 2 minutes in the morning In order to develop a permanent habit, start small - otherwise, that part of your inner self that accepts changes “with hostility” will eventually slow everything down. 2. Set a trigger Do you brush your teeth in the evening? Excellent. And in the morning? Fabulous! That's what I mean. The desire to go to bed automatically makes you go to the bathroom and brush your teeth. Your parents (or the dentist girl) taught you this. To meditate you have to teach yourself, and it is very easy. Use a moment that repeats every day, such as waking up. Or a lunch break. 3. Find a secluded spot Sophisticated Zen monks can meditate even in the middle of Times Square. Beginners should look for more comfortable conditions. A quiet place will help you not be distracted by loud noises. Your brain will not subconsciously expect anxiety, as a result, it will be easier for you to direct your attention inward. A workplace in the office with the inscription "Do not disturb" and a bench in the park will do. In fact, the place itself does not play a big role. The only thing that matters is whether you feel safe here and whether you are protected from external stimuli. 4. Make yourself comfortable... The most rigorous adepts of meditation, of course, will insist on the lotus position, a kapok pillow, and hands bent in a mudra gesture. But in fact, what matters in meditation is not the outer, but the inner – namely, your perception. Sit in a chair and lean back – or don't recline. A sofa will do too. But the TV is still worth turning off - it will interfere with us. 5. Still start with two minutes If you start your acquaintance with meditation from a course in some ancient monastery, you may be forced to meditate for half an hour. This time period is referred to as the minimum and many manuals on meditation. But for almost all beginners, this is a clear overkill. After a maximum of ten minutes, something will itch or your legs will numb. The farther, the more restless you will be, and thoughts will flash before your inner eye faster than usual. This is very, VERY frustrating. What happens next depends on what kind of person you are. Someone will abandon meditation once and for all, believing that "this is not for me. Both are bad. Meditation should not be a struggle or a test of willpower. Mindfulness should be fun and enjoyable, not stressful. It's like running. If you start too fast or force yourself to run extra long distances, your body and spirit will quickly do their best to make excuses and relieve you of the heavy burden. Start small and your chances of sticking to this good habit will increase. In the case of meditation, start with two minutes, and after a week slowly go up to 5-7 minutes. After another week, go out for 10 minutes. In the third week, take the bar for 15 minutes. And a month after the start of classes, storm the mark of 20 minutes. 6. Focus on your breath. Article on the topic: How "Pranayama" breathing pulled the Soviet space program out In theory, it doesn't matter what you focus on. What matters is that you focus on something. But the problem is that looking at an arrow or a knee will quickly get boring for a person - and he will be distracted by something else. For most people, the best thing to do is watch your breath. Close your eyes. Take a breath. Feel the movement of air in the nose, then in the neck. Watch your stomach rise and fall. If thoughts overwhelm you and you can't concentrate on your breathing, open your eyes and look at something motionless (for example, at a piece of the floor). Just look, don't focus on it, don't make an effort. Exhale and return to observing your breath. Counting your breath can also help, because it gives you something to focus on. Inhale one, exhale two, inhale three. When you get to ten, start over. If you lose count, go back to one too. By the way, one famous book on meditation is called “Back to one” (Return to one). If your mind is distracting - and it certainly will - do not scold him or yourself. It is absolutely natural. Just come back to your breath again and again. At first it will be difficult for you, you will feel strange. But the more you practice mindfulness meditation, the better you will get. Training is a great power. How to get to the next level Sitting down and watching your breath is a great place to start, as you already add more mindfulness to your day. But after some time after the start of training (for example, after a month), awareness can be extended to other areas of your life. When you feel tension (stress), give yourself a moment, take two or three conscious breaths in and out, and then be aware of what is happening. Go for a walk and instead of thinking about what happened today, direct your attention to yourself: the sensations in your legs and in your whole body, what you see and hear. Try this exercise: while eating, just… eat! Do not read anything while eating, turn off the radio/TV. How Not to Meditate
So it's actually good news to know that you don't choose them. They just appear like the weather. 
Common Mistakes 
It is in your power only to choose the attitude towards thoughts. 
Over time, with this approach, you will turn thoughts to your advantage, but they cannot be changed by force.
So how exactly are you going to nurture these seeds of awareness that will serve as your "inner aikido master". The first step is to understand the difference between the logical mind and the wise mind. The next step is to start tuning in and appreciating the "magic moments" - when the energy of awareness comes on the scene. As these moments become more frequent and the energy of awareness flows more and more continuously, you will be able to enjoy its benefits in all areas of your life.
The thinking mind and the wise mind
The thinking mind includes practical logical thoughts, creative thoughts, and monkey mind thoughts.
It may be like being in love, but not anything specific. Sweetly expansive, deeply relaxing and constantly eluding description. 
Inner dialogue is not an obstacle if you do not cling to thoughts.
This moment of realizing that you have been involved in a thought is a magical moment. It is magic, because the moment you realize that you have been carried away by thoughts, you are aware. So this moment should be celebrated!
Sitting meditation
Stop the clock and now you are aware of the sound of your breath. 
These are the easy pose (sukhasana), the hero's pose (virasana), the perfect pose (siddhasana), the half lotus pose (ardha padmasana), the lotus pose (padmasana). Step-by-step instructions
Mindfulness Meditation - A Practical Guide
Now set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes.
Put the timer nearby and follow the instructions.
Try to understand who or what it is, who is really noticing everything. This is the part of your mind that always remains untouched by the content of thoughts and images. Does this part have a limit? Can you find its edge and go beyond? Is there a difference between an awareness that watches thoughts and an awareness that is aware of awareness? When the meditation time is over, take a few deep breaths in and out and notice any feelings and sensations that may have come up.
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Why mindfulness?
Here are just some of the consequences:
How to start?
“Reliable” is because the trainer is experienced (he has already trained more than 100,000 people) and there will be some kind of control over you. Read more 
Or a car ride after work. The trigger to start meditating should be something that you do regularly. 
So do not rush to buy meditation cushions and change your business or tracksuit, jeans, T-shirt for something “right” (if you wish, you will always have time to do this in the future). 
" And someone will say to himself: “We must endure!” - and, in order to finally overpower himself, he will meditate twice as much, i.e. a whole hour. 
You can look at the second hand of your wristwatch, your laptop keyboard, or your left knee. 
