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What is Mindful Meditation

Mindful Meditation focuses on the here and now. It’s simple. You sit in a quiet place and observe your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations. It is a powerful tool for self awareness. It’s quite straightforward. 

Why is it Valuable

Much of our lives we focus on the outside. This has greatly increased with computers. We lose the distinction between outside and inside. We diminish our sense of self, who we are, what we think and feel. Mindful meditation brings us back inside. We return to our own senses. Our own self becomes a sanctuary of renewal.

How to Do It

Mindful Meditation is beautifully simple, on the surface. Be in a quiet place, close your eyes and be aware of what is going on inside you. This is where it can be difficult. We are not trained, and even discouraged, to be with ourselves. It can feel frightening and strange to venture there. It can feel out of control, because we use the outside to control ourselves. Stay with it. You don’t have to do it for a long time, even a few minutes can help. You are learning to live with yourself.

Focused Mindful Meditation

Most mindful meditation sites discuss troubling thoughts and feelings. They advise us to acknowledge them and and then let them go. However, in contrast, with focused mindful meditation, you stay with what is disturbing. For instance, if you feel anger sit with it, focus on it, see where it goes.  For example, it might bring up memories.  These might trigger feelings such as sadness, hurt, shame or other early memories. As you have these associations, monitor your feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. Stay with this, but don’t push it if it feels too much. 

Making Mindfulness a Part of Your Life

Whatever type of mindfulness you use, it is a wonderful tool for self awareness. For instance, like any exercise, the more you do it, the better you get. It also has been proven to make positive changes in the brain. For instance it helps the cortex deal with anxiety, empathy, stress management and a sense of self. In this time of Covid we are being forced to confront ourselves. Mindfulness can make this confrontation positive.