Jon Kabat-Zinn, the pioneer of mind-body medicine, defines mindfulness in his classic book Full Catastrophe Living this way:
“Simply put, mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness. It is cultivated by purposefully paying attention to things we ordinarily never give a moment’s thought to. It is a systematic approach to developing new kinds of control and wisdom in our lives, based on our inner capacities for relaxation, paying attention, awareness, and insight.”
There is probably no better way to learn to live more mindfully than through meditation. Here are some simple instructions. You may also want to watch a beautiful video by meditation master Thich Nhat Hanh on practicing mindfulness.
A good place to start is with observing your breath. Sit up as straight as you comfortably can and close your eyes, or look at one spot on the floor about three feet in front of you. Find a place in your body where you can distinctly feel yourself breathing. This might be in your diaphragm area, your chest, or your nostrils.
Now, just pay attention to your breath naturally coming in and out of your body. There is no need to try to breathe deeply; some of your breaths will be short and light, others will be longer and deep. Try this for 5 or 10 minutes.
Your mind will wander. If you are like most people, you will get upset with yourself for this, or feel that you aren’t doing it “right.” This happens, however, to everyone. In fact, the moment you realize that your mind has strayed from your breath is perhaps your moment of greatest mindfulness. When you notice it, just gently bring your attention back to your breath.
You will probably find counting your breaths to be helpful with concentration. As you breathe in, silently say “one” to yourself. On the outbreath, “two.” Do this up to ten then count backwards to one. Continue this throughout your meditation period.
You will get the greatest benefit from a regular meditation practice. Try to start out with 3 to 5 days a week for 5 to 15 minutes, and gradually work up to 5 days a week for 20 minutes or more. Since you will no doubt come up with questions, look for a group of people in your area who meditate, and join them. It is much easier to keep your meditation going with the support of other people.
If you would like to learn more about practicing mindfulness and live in or near Washtenaw County, visit the Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness website for a listing of local classes and events. A weekly drop-in meditation group on Thursday evenings at the Lotus Center on Carpenter Road is also listed. The Ann Arbor Rec and Ed program also offers meditation classes.
If you live elsewhere and cannot find a local group, do an internet search for online support.
