| Mindfulness meditation practice is a commitment | | | | important, because it affects the flow of energy |
| that many resist, but it requires far less time and | | | | throughout the body. There are three traditional |
| effort than most people realize. The time of day | | | | mudras. Probably the most popular one is to |
| isn't important; the regular practice is. Ideally, it | | | | touch the thumb and first finger to each other, |
| should be practiced for 20 to 30 minutes twice a | | | | and then hold your palms up, with your other |
| day in a quiet room with a closed door with no | | | | fingers relaxed and straight, and rest the backs of |
| distractions. But it's better to start doing 10 | | | | your hands on your thighs. I describe two other |
| minutes once a day than aiming for the overall | | | | ones common in Zen Buddhism in my book, Wise |
| goal and then feeling overwhelmed by it and falling | | | | Mind Open Mind. |
| short. Use a timer to ensure that you meditate | | | | Step 5: Be aware.As you breathe in and out, |
| for as long as you planned. Aim for meditating at | | | | mentally note the thoughts, feelings, sounds, |
| the same time in the same quiet and serene | | | | tastes, smells, and physical sensations (such as |
| place, such as sitting down in your office chair for | | | | itching, temperature, pain or discomfort, or |
| the first time in the morning, or sitting in your car, | | | | feelings of heaviness and lightness) that you |
| getting ready to drive home from the gym after | | | | experience. Don't try to analyze any of what |
| your daily workout. Again, ideally choose a time | | | | you're noting. Simply be present, open, alert, and |
| when distractions will be minimal. | | | | watchful as you allow the witnessing mind to |
| How to Perform Mindfulness Meditation | | | | emerge. Observe the quality of the sensation if it |
| Here are the six steps of mindfulness meditation: | | | | has one, and categorize it: "heaviness in |
| Step 1. Get into a comfortable posture. Sit | | | | shoulders," "bitter taste," "lawn mower outside," |
| crossed legged on a meditation cushion or with | | | | "painful thought about son," and so on. Don't |
| your legs extended straight out with your back | | | | explore this thought or feeling unless it occurs |
| against a wall for support, or sit in a chair with a | | | | more than twice, in which case, ask if you need |
| firm back, keeping your feet on the floor and | | | | to deal with it now or after your meditation. If it |
| your spine straight, and tucking in your chin slightly | | | | needs to be addressed right away, allow yourself |
| to keep your vertebrae aligned properly. If you | | | | to be present with that sensation, feeling, or |
| have any back, pelvic, or neck pain, back support | | | | repetitive thought without judgment as it fades |
| is essential. In fact, you may want to lie down, | | | | away or lessens in intensity. Afterwards write |
| with your head propped up at a 45-degree angle. | | | | about it in a mindfulness journal,contemplate it or |
| If you're sitting up, close your eyes, but if you're | | | | talk to a friend or counselor about it. |
| lying down, keep your eyes half open to prevent | | | | Step 6: Slowly come back into ordinary |
| yourself from falling asleep. | | | | consciousness.Take three long, slow, deep |
| Step 2: Focus your eyes. With your eyes closed, | | | | breaths, breathing in through your nose and out |
| focus them on one spot, ideally toward the tip of | | | | through your mouth. Rub the palms of your hands |
| your nose or on your "third eye" (the chakra, or | | | | together to generate heat, and place the palms |
| energy point in the middle of the forehead). | | | | over your eyes and face. Open your eyes and |
| Alternatively, look straight ahead at the insides of | | | | slowly lift your hands away from your face as |
| your eyelids or allow your eyeballs to roll upward. | | | | you return to awareness. Inhale deeply and |
| Whichever eye position you choose, make certain | | | | stretch your arms up over your head, with your |
| it feels comfortable and that your eye muscles | | | | hands interlocked. Bend slowly to the right and |
| are relaxed. If you have heightened anxiety or | | | | then to the left. Do this several times, and then |
| fears, you may want to open your eyes halfway | | | | bend forward toward your feet. Reflect on |
| or even fully, looking straight ahead at a spot on | | | | whether anything of importance revealed itself to |
| the wall or out the window at a stationary object, | | | | you that you wish to write about in your |
| in order to ease those feelings. Another idea is to | | | | mindfulness journal, think about, or attend to. |
| close your eyes and imagine being in a place | | | | If you're anticipating a stressful situation in which it |
| where you always feel relaxed, safe and secure. | | | | will be challenging to remain nonreactive, or you'll |
| Step 3: Pay attention to your breathing. With your | | | | need to be able to access your creativity more |
| eyes closed or halfway open, fixating them on | | | | than usual because you're dealing with a perplexing |
| one spot, breathe in with awareness of your lungs | | | | problem, try to schedule a mindfulness meditation |
| and your diaphragm. As you inhale, say to | | | | immediately beforehand. I've had clients meditate |
| yourself, "In." Exhale from your lungs and then | | | | before attending a late afternoon meeting in order |
| your abdomen, saying to yourself, "Out." Do this | | | | to refresh themselves creatively, and before a |
| each time you breathe.You can also use the | | | | phone conversation with their ex-spouse, and |
| words "rising" and "falling away," or "comfort" and | | | | they've reported that just five minutes spent in |
| "letting go," or "surrender" and "release." | | | | mindfulness practice makes a dramatic difference |
| Step 4: Place your hands in a relaxing and | | | | in their ability to remain calm, focused, and |
| energizing mudra (hand position).In Buddhism, the | | | | nonreactive. |
| mudra, or position of the hands, in meditation is | | | | |