Mindfulness simply means one hundred percent remembrance or awareness. You are just pure light. It is the way of being alert, aware, watchful, of being a witness. It is awareness. It is perfect awareness. You can call it mindfulness, awareness, or you can call it a state of no-mind.
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis.
Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.
Mindfulness Meditation Techniques
Vipassana is the technique to achieve mindfulness. You can find more details on how to do it here – Vipassana
Below are few points by following them you can lead yourself towards state of mindfulness:
1. Whatever you are doing just do it consciously, don’t do it mechanically.
2. Be aware of whatever you are feeling, thinking and doing. On all three layers you have to become aware.
3. Observe the present moment as it is.
Note: Even if one can remain mindfulness for forty-eight minutes – if one can remain in a state of no-mind continuously for forty-eight minutes, that’s enough to become enlightened.
How to do Mindfulness Meditation
1. Sit comfortably. Notice what your legs are doing. Straighten your upper body—but don’t stiffen. Your spine has natural curvature. Let it be there.
2. Notice what your arms are doing. Situate your upper arms parallel to your upper body. Rest the palms of your hands on your legs wherever it feels most natural. It’s not necessary to close your eyes. You can simply let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it.
3. Feel your breath. Bring your attention to the physical sensation of breathing: the air moving through your nose or mouth, the rising and falling of your belly, or your chest.
4. Notice when your mind wanders from your breath. Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. Don’t worry. There’s no need to block or eliminate thinking. When you notice your mind wandering gently return your attention to the breath.
5. Be kind about your wandering mind. You may find your mind wandering constantly—that’s normal, too. Instead of wrestling with your thoughts, practice observing them without reacting. Just sit and pay attention. As hard as it is to maintain, that’s all there is. Come back to your breath over and over again, without judgment or expectation.
6. Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.
Note: As you spend time practicing mindfulness, you’ll probably find yourself feeling kinder, calmer, and more patient. These shifts in your experience are likely to generate changes in other parts of your life as well. Mindfulness can help you become more playful and maximize your enjoyment in life.
What are the benefits of Mindfulness meditation?
1. Lower stress
2. Focus your mind
3. Reduce brain chatter
4. Mindfulness boosts creativity
5. Mindfulness trains your body to thrive
6. Mindfulness strengthens neural connections