In this month’s A to Z of Meditation and Mindfulness, we will look at ways of integrating mindfulness meditation into your life.
I is for Integrating Mindfulness
Mindfulness Meditation is the practice of remaining in the present and not worrying about the past, or the future.
To achieve peace of mind and see the benefits, it is recommended that you perform at least 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation each day.
WAIT!!! I don’t have 5 minutes spare each day to do this!
If you catch yourself thinking that you don’t have the time for this, then ask yourself why not?
What do YOU do for your mental health to keep it in shape and in good condition?
Think about it for a moment!
Mental Health Spa Treatment
When you are feeling ill or you injure yourself, you will look after your body by treating it to either a plaster or ointment. A trip to the doctors for advice is another method of looking after yourself. To keep yourself fit and healthy, you exercise and eat healthily, so why is it different when looking after your mental health?
If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you will be aware that not looking after your mental health can lead to physical and mental ill health.
Integrating mindfulness meditation is like giving your mental health a relaxing spa treatment. Furthermore, it provides the following benefits: –
- Better Management of stress, anxiety, depression and pain
- Builds self-esteem
- Increases your attention span and improves your memory
- Aids better sleep
Feeling Present Guided Meditation
I came across a fantastic mindfulness meditation by the wonderful Jess Shepherd. It’s a perfect introduction to this type of meditation. She teaches you to focus on your breathing and it’s titled, ‘Feeling Present’.
Amanda’s Top 5 Tips for Integrating Mindfulness
- Do a guided meditation for at least 5 minutes each day
- When walking from A to B, look for something different that you don’t normally see. This is better performed on routes you take on a daily basis
- Sit down for your meal without distraction from a TV, radio, mobile phone or tablet. Pay attention to the taste and textures of what you’re eating, and how you feel afterwards. By doing this, you will learn what food makes you feel tired/bloated, and you will learn what’s good for your body
- When you bathe or shower, feel the water, soaps/shampoos on your body and smell the wonderful aromas. Enjoy the experience of cleansing your outer body instead of being on auto pilot
- When lying in bed ready for sleep, focus on your breathing and feel the cold air in your nostrils when breathing in, and warm air when exhaling. If a thought creeps in, gently re-focus back onto your breathing and know that it’s normal to be distracted by thoughts.
As always, I hope my information helps you as much as it helps me. Next month I will be looking at Judgement.
