WHAT EXACTLY IS MINDFULNESS?
Mindfulness is not just a way of thinking about others and their state of mind, but it can also be used as a form of meditation. Using mindfulness meditation allows you to stay focused in the moment, becoming aware of your senses and what you are feeling at that time and place. When you can focus only on that particular moment, there’s no need to try to interpret things or make judgments about how you feel.
You are simply present.
If you have ever studied Eckhart Tolle or other spiritual teachers, you will realize that the present moment is all that really exists. The past no longer exists, and the future has not yet arrived. So concentrating, being aware of the moment, can help you relax and de-stress.
Think of all the time we spend planning or worrying about the future, having negative thoughts about the past, worrying about all the things we have to do: pick up the kids from school, cook dinner tonight, pay the bills, etc. . All those things are exhausting and can even be exhausting. When you can be mindful, you can let go of those things and focus your attention on the present moment, which reduces your stress and anxiety. Mindfulness meditation can be very powerful!
WHY SHOULD I MEDITATE?
For years, spiritual teachers and their students have been practicing meditation and advocating its benefits. Now, thanks to advances in modern science and medicine, there are actually many clinical trials that scientifically support these claims. It’s amazing that for hundreds of years people have known that meditation works, but there is always a certain percentage of the population that needs to know how and why before they believe it.
There are so many studies now that provide empirical data on the how and why of meditation and its effects on the body and brain. Those studies are so diverse that they need to be in a separate separate article. But suffice it to say that the overall evidence from these studies shows that meditation is effective in reducing stress, anxiety, pain, depression, and even a host of “medical” conditions and illnesses.
WHEN AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD I MEDITATE?
There is probably no such thing as too much meditation, especially if you are struggling with any of the issues mentioned above. Studies have shown that there are certain times of the day when meditation can be more effective than others. Those moments are when the brain is emitting certain waves that allow it to be more receptive to suggestion and meditation. Books have been written on just that topic, but for our purposes, for most people that time is before they go to bed or right when they wake up in the morning. During those times, your brain emits the right waves and produces the right chemical to allow the mist to benefit from the meditation. But as Dr. Joe Dispenza says, “There’s no such thing as bad meditation.”
The best way to develop your mindfulness meditation routine is to practice, practice, practice. Do it, and you may be truly surprised with the results.
