How many thoughts pass through your mind in one minute?

Some we might remember and some we might not recall at all, but all these hundreds of thoughts, whether big or small, strong or mild, are constantly changing subconsciously in our minds.

As the world becomes more connected through the internet, there are countless sources of external information and distractions. Maintaining inner peace and balance can better help us face everyday.

There are many ways to maintain our inner peace, but only those that truly make an impact in our lives can last long. Mindfulness happens to be one of them - it is also a way of life and an attitude towards life.

If you are curious about mindfulness and don't know how to incorporate it into your life, please read on :)

Is Mindfulness and Positive Thinking the Same?

Mindfulness is not the same as positive thinking; rather, it is the focus and immersion of the present moment.

It is commonly known that meditation originated from Buddhism, but because of its wide practice nowadays, it is less associated with the religion – meaning that everyone can practice meditation freely.

There are even 2500 scientific research studies about the benefits of meditation to the mind and body.

Modern meditation advocate and American professor Jon Kabat-Zinn Ph.D. came from a scientific background. Through his practices of meditation, he created a system to incorporate it in his life, thus the mindfulness-based stress reduction, MBSR course was born. He utilized meditation in research about chronic illness and stress and promoted the benefits of meditation in schools, hospitals, corporations, and even correctional facilities.

In recent years, many hospitals have also set up meditation courses to assist patients with cancer, depression, sleep difficulty, and chronic illness. Even patients' family members and medical professionals have joined in on the practice of meditation.

Meditation doesn’t only benefit those in the medical system – everyone can utilize meditation to stabilize our inner peace and lower daily stress from work and life.

How Do I Start?

Meditation is a way of life - it is very easy to get started.

On your first meditation practice, find a comfortable spot to sit. Whether it’s on a yoga mat, at the park, or by a sun-lit window, as long as you are comfortable.

Set your alarm for 5 minutes and slowly close your eyes.

Without all the visual distractions, slowly shift your focus to other parts of your body. For example: what is the sound you’re hearing right now? Is it the coffee bean grinding in the kitchen or the birds chirping outside? Slowly, you will begin to notice more detailed nuances: the ticking of the oven timer and the smell of freshly baked croissant that follows, and the warmth of the coffee in your hands with the cool breeze brushing against your face.

Slowly open your eyes when the alarm sounds - It may be your first time meditating but give yourself a pat on the back and set a time for the next meditation session.

Try recalling the past 5 minutes. Did you notice more details and subtle nuances that are not usually noticeable? Perhaps you have been to this café many times, but it may be the first time you notice the minimalistic yet artfully crafted ceramic mug, the unique smell of coffee permeating the room, and the perfect temperature when the sunlight shines on your bare skin.

Through this foundational meditation practice, we will appreciate the little details in our everyday environment. We might even feel lighter and less stressed afterwards!

Meditation can be practiced everywhere. Even when it is a hectic workday, spare one minute to do some simple meditation practice to help us face the busy work up ahead.

Besides the traditional meditation practice, we can also incorporate it even more in our daily lives:

Breathing

Meditation breathing is achieved through observing breathing methods and focusing on the process between breathing in and out.

Close your eyes. Breathe in and count 1, 2, 3, and breathe out and count 1,2, 3. Notice when the air flows through your nose, is it warm or is it free-flowing?

Body Scanning

Choose a quiet and comfortable place to sit or lie down. Body scanning is usually done before sleeping or after we wake up. Close your eyes and utilize the foundation of meditation breathing to put every intention throughout your body.

Start with the head, then through the face, shoulders, hands, chest, stomach, thighs, calves, feet, and fingertips. Feel the intention through every part of the body: Are you relaxed? Are your shoulders stiff? Are your legs sore? Do you have cold feet?

Repeat the process a second time and linger at the uncomfortable parts a bit longer. Don’t jump to conclusions about why these ailments exist, but just acknowledge their existence and feel in the moment.

Feel free to repeat this process two to three times.

Walking Meditation

Walking meditation is a very useful exercise and good for everyday practice. Be sure to avoid places heavy in traffic and choose an indoor or outdoor space with plenty of room with no cars.

Walk as if you would normally, but put the emphasis on the point of contact between your feet and the ground. Feel the softness of the shoes and the carpet, or the bumpy gravel road and the hardness of the pavement.

You can also practice this in the office. From the walk to the break room, you can utilize this exercise as a way to destress.

Mindful Eating

Meditation can also be incorporated in eating.

Prepare yourself a healthy and hearty meal - preferably a simple homemade one. Practice eating without external distractions and focus on the meal solely. Take a moment to smell the different layers of the food. Then, slowly take a bite and feel the texture and temperature - you may even find new flavors!

After the meal, what do you feel? Do you appreciate it more? Does your body respond better with eating slowly? Which aspects did you enjoy the most? The practice of meditation eating can have positive effects on our digestive systems. It can also elevate our knowledge of different foods and introduce our bodies to different kinds of food so we are more health conscious.

Not only can meditation be incorporated in the above practices, everything can be integrated with meditation - waking up, brewing coffee, or tidying your room. (Click here to explore more!)

Important Reminders

Don’t Put Yourself in a Box

Remember to not put too many restrictions and increase difficulty drastically during your meditation practice. This will not only make us feel discouraged but also frustrated.

You do not need to buy a yoga mat specifically for meditation - any safe and comfortable spot will do just fine.

You do not need to restrict to a specific meditation duration, you can adjust how long you want to meditate daily. The important aspect is to practice “everyday” and not practice “once for a long period of time”.

When I am very busy, I tend to not have time to do my usual 30 minute to an hour meditation. Even if it is for one minute everyday, it will have a profound impact.

Let Your Thoughts Flow Freely

Intrusive thoughts might be overwhelming during meditation. For example, work related stress, relationship matters etc. Every time you feel drift away, remind yourself that you have acknowledged these feelings and put focus back at the present moment and slowly breathe in and out.

Sometimes we will blame ourselves for not being able to focus - remind yourself that “I am in control of my emotions and reactions". Even if you’re in distress, acknowledge the feeling and know that it doesn’t break you.

Put yourself in the shoes of an observer - watch and feel these emotions come by. Do not jump to conclusions, form opinions, and lock away these emotions. Treat them as passersby who we can welcome and say goodbye to freely.

At Soul Barn, we will integrate the meditation values at every retreat. For example, we have a phone box, silent retreats, meditation and yoga exercises. If you want to experience the power of meditation with us, please check out upcoming events.

How to Plan and Practice

We can start meditation anytime and everywhere. We can freely try different methods that work best for us. Here are some tips to get started:

Using a weekly routine, we can start our meditation practice from easy to advanced:

Week 1

Choose any small activity that you do and integrate meditation practice into it. For example, drinking water, brushing your teeth, or even gardening plants - slowly, it will become a habit.

Week 2

Besides these daily activities, observe the changes in your emotions and how you respond to them. Feel free to jot these feelings down and remember to acknowledge them but not jump to any conclusions.

Week 3

Start integrating meditation into longer activities. For example, 20 minutes of body scanning, 30 minutes of meditation dinner etc. to deepen your understanding of meditation.

Week 4

Freely combine different meditation activities within your daily routine. Try to incorporate them in different environments and situations so you can seamlessly experience the benefits at all times.

For example, incorporate meditation in your daily walks; then end the day with 15 minutes of body scanning. The next day, meditation in the morning then proceed with yoga exercises, and then end the day with dinner meditation.

Don’t confine yourself with how long or how much to do each day. The important thing is to practice it everyday without stopping to get the full benefit. Why not share these routines with your loved ones? That way, everyone can encourage each other for the better.

Meditation helps us notice the daily nuances that are usually overlooked because of a plethora of external distractions. It also elevates our five senses and our quality of life with a mindful mindset. Remember to be present and let go of the uncontrollable past so we can live our lives to the fullest!

The Art of Mindfulness