Mindfulness is the art of focusing on the present moment. When you are mindful, you aren’t thinking about something in the future or getting lost in memories from the past. You mentally arrive at this moment: right now. You are reading these words with glorious functioning eyes that allow you to see and absorb the richness of life through vision. You notice what temperature it is in the room, and you feel your body resting firmly on the chair you are sitting in. You become aware that you are thinking, while you read these words you are simultaneously forming thoughts and opinions. 

Since you are noticing that, it means you are not actually your thoughts – you are the thing noticing your thoughts. You are now the observer of your thoughts. As the observer, you can choose what you want to focus on. You might try shifting away from your thoughts and putting your attention on your breathing. You follow the breath as it goes all the way in, and all the way back out. You have arrived in the present moment. 

Here in this moment, you just enjoy the feeling of your breath going in and out. You may suddenly feel very alive. Mindfulness reminds us that simply being alive is a miracle! It makes us appreciate the small things, like breathing and walking. We are so busy and caught up in our lives, especially with our phones and rapidly advancing technology. It is valuable and healthy to practice appreciating the wonders that are available to us right now in the present moment. Mindfulness increases our gratitude and appreciation for all aspects of life.

There are many different ways to practice mindfulness meditation, but for these instructions we will focus on how to practice mindfulness meditation while sitting. Generally, you want to be in a position where your spine is straight, yet relaxed. It can be helpful to use a chair for this, as you can gently lean back onto the chair for support while maintaining a straight spine. If you’re sitting in a chair, make sure your feet are fully planted on the floor. You may want to place a folded blanket or towel under your feet to feel that contact. 

Your hands can be either on your thighs or in your lap, in whatever position they feel most comfortable and relaxed. You can also meditate while sitting on a cushion. The reason for the straight spine is to maintain a gentle alertness during meditation, so we don’t fall asleep. Sleep is certainly a learning state, but meditation is different from sleep. The practice of meditation can be described as resting in awareness. In the case of mindfulness meditation: resting in the awareness of the present moment.

Once you have found a comfortable seat, gently close your eyes. Start to move your attention inward and notice your breath. In my experience, sometimes it is hard to focus on the sensation of breathing alone, so I think the word “in” on the inhale and “out” on the exhale. Don’t try to manipulate the breath, just allow the body to breathe on its own while you observe it. As you are concentrating on your breathing, you may notice that your breath naturally begins to slow down. That is excellent work.

The real practice of meditation is actually not about emptying your mind. Meditation is about noticing when you have become distracted and gently bringing your attention back to the breath. So, when you inevitably hear sounds, feel itchy, get lost in a thought, or a strong emotion arises, these are all natural and part of the practice. You must not get frustrated with yourself, in fact, it is important to practice giving yourself grace in these moments. You are meditating correctly as long as you realize you have become distracted and gently return to the breath. “You do not have to get angry with your mind; you can just see that it is doing what a mind does and you can find a place of rest in the midst of it” (Kornfield, p. 43).

There are a few ways to handle the various distractions that come up during a sitting. When it comes to dismissing thought formations, it helps to identify what type of thought it is: planning, remembering, thinking, or wanting. When you notice you’re getting pulled into a thought formation, say to yourself, “thinking, thinking, thinking.” Stay with it until you observe the thought dissolve away, and come back to the breath. The same goes for emotions or physical sensations. When you identify the sensation and allow yourself to sit with it fully and non-judgmentally, it eventually dissolves away. 

In my own experience, learning to sit with an itch and not scratch it was a real challenge. To my surprise, the feeling of the itch does indeed disappear. This seemingly acute experience has the ability to ripple into other parts of your life, such as relationships. You will find yourself responding to situations with ease, instead of emotionally reacting, simply because you have practiced sitting with your itch. “When we realize that everything passes away, not only the good things but the painful things as well, we find a composure in their midst” (Kornfield, p. 14). 

By Casey Allard, 2024

Reference:

Kornfield, J. (2005.) Meditation for Beginners. Six Guided Meditations for Insight, Inner Clarity, 

and Cultivating a Compassionate Heart. Bantam Books.