Mindfulness Meditation

The notion of mindfulness is borrowed from Buddhism, where the “calm awareness of one’s body functions, feelings, content of consciousness, or consciousness itself” is key (reference). In mindfulness meditation one focuses the mind on the present, most often taking the time to observe our breathing. The goal is to do this non-judgementally, simply observing and embracing the present as it is.

To benefit from mindfulness meditation you’ll have to make it a regular part of your practice of meditation. Set aside three ten-minute appointments a week on your schedule for a month, say on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Set a timer and use those ten minutes to:

1. Take a comfortable seated position, whether cross-legged on the ground or open-legged on a chair.
2. Try to keep your mind from drifting to remembering and analyzing past events or from drifting to the future, whether particular events or specific concerns.
3. Become aware of your breathing. Without controlling it, simply observe your in-breath and out-breath along with the way the breath feels coming in and going out of your nostrils. Observe the rising and falling of your belly and the expanding and contracting of your chest. Simply appreciate being present.
4. When thoughts, hopes, fears, expectations, memories, etc. intrude simply take note of them. Don’t judge them, don’t analyze them, simply embrace them as they are. Observe them and use your breathing as an anchor to bring you back to the present.
5. When you find yourself getting dragged away by your thoughts, don’t judge yourself. Gently return to the present, embracing the simplicity of breathing as your anchor. If your able, gain a third-person perspective on these intrusions and observe them, non-judgementally, seeing where they come from and where they go.

During the rest of the day, whenever you find yourself getting emotional or stressed return to that feeling of mindfulness by simply becoming present. Use your breathing as an anchor to return you to the present. Take note of how your thinking and feeling shifts when doing so.

The more you practice mindfulness meditation the greater potential you have for remaining in the present.

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Urban Mystic uses a variety of meditation techniques as the foundation for an urban spirituality. We focus on those who consider themselves spiritual not religious, who’re interested in pursuing their spiritual journey but want to do so without the pressure to convert to an established faith such as Buddhism, Hinduism or Christianity.

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