Mindfulness and Meditation 101
The kids were a handful this morning and you were late for work. Now the phone won’t stop ringing long enough for you to respond to your voicemails. Your coworker is sick; you’re fielding her calls and simultaneously trying to finish reports that were due yesterday. You have three half-finished emails, two spreadsheets, four docs and six browser tabs open. And you HAVE to get that presentation finished for the 11am meeting.
And then your cell rings – a call from the school saying your youngest is sick and needs to go home.
Whether this sounds like a typical morning for you or not, for many of us, the everyday is full of tasks, projects, people and electronics constantly competing for our time and attention. And, as we know, this constant, underlying tension takes its toll on our bodies and minds, causing everything from migraines to high blood pressure to chronic anxiety.
That’s why we’re exploring one practice that’s believed to reduce stress, build resilience and improve quality of life. That practice is mindfulness.
According to the UCLA’s The Greater Good Science Center, mindfulness means “maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and surrounding environment”. Additionally, mindfulness also involves accepting the present moment, our thoughts and our feelings without judgement. It’s about quieting the mind and paying attention. And somehow, taking those simple actions are incredibly good for us.
The calming influence of mindfulness helps lower elevated stress hormones and blood pressure. It strengthens the immune system and reduces feelings of loneliness. It helps with managing chronic pain and depression. Mindfulness practice can dramatically improve our focus and memory, and is being touted as a great way to improve our communication skills and relationships. Perhaps these benefits are why people who practice mindful meditation can whack their risk of a heart attack in half.
It feels like mindfulness could just be a wonder drug. But while being mindful sounds so simple, for most of us, it’s surprisingly difficult to give our full attention to every moment. It’s not easy to slow down the steam engine of thought, emotion and inner monologue that is constantly chugging along in our minds.
And that’s where mindfulness-based meditation comes in. Don’t groan — meditation isn’t just for monks or yogis! Anyone can try mindfulness-based meditation and reap the benefits. The practice usually involves setting aside a few minutes to sit or lie in a peaceful space, relax the body, breathe deeply, and focus on the sensations around you, and the sensation of your breath.
This is easier to describe than to do, and we think the best way to practice this, at least at first, is to get a little guidance. We find that some of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to learn are by downloading and listening to guided meditations to your computer or smartphone A quick Google search will also turn up numerous books, CDs, DVDs and online articles that walk you through various meditation processes.
Here are a few resources to get your started:
Article – 7 Steps to Relax Your Body
Smartphone App – Headspace
Smartphone App – The Mindfulness App
Podcasts – UCLA Guided Meditations
Audiobook/CD – Guided Meditation
Article – Breathing Exercises
If stress feels like it’s getting on top of you, give one of these resources a try!
Disclaimer: Practicing mindfulness is one of many healthy ways to balance your body and mind. As always, our articles aren’t intended to replace medical advice! To learn about more healthy ways to combat stress, we encourage you to talk to your doctor.
