A Super Simple Mindfulness Practice

Along with exercise, rediscovering my meditation practice has become a
priority for me this year. Before I had Freya, I had meditated every single
day for just over 2 ¹⁄₂ yrs. I didn’t miss a day. All that changed when sleep
and routine went out of the window, and getting back into it was even harder
once chronic migraine was added to the mix.

Now I am not aiming for every day, I’m aiming for 5 days a week. I’m not
sitting for 20mins anymore, but 6-8mins of gentle, often guided practice. Some
days though I only manage 2-3mins. That’s OK! A little like my approach to
fitness, with meditation some is absolutely better than none.

“Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving
the exquisite vividness of each moment. We also gain immediate access to our
own powerful inner resources for insight, transformation, and healing.”

~ Jon Kabat-Zinn

As with anything, consistent practice is the key to habit formation. My key
piece of advice for anyone who wants to develop a meditation practice is this
– keep it simple, and start small.

Taking time to sit down and pay attention to the present moment each day
becomes easier as it becomes habitual. During practice, returning the focus to
the breath again and again likewise becomes easier with repeated practice.

A Super Simple Practice

Back in October 2015, I participated in the Mindfulness Summit run by Melli of
Mrs Mindfulness. It was a great experience and I
learnt a lot. Professor Mark Williams offered the following three minute/three
breath practice that I still use, and that you can try any time of the day.

Take a minute or so running through the stages below. This could form the
basis of your simple daily practice. It is also simple enough to try on the
train or bus, in the park on your lunch break, or even at your work desk when
you need a quiet moment.

Acknowledge

• How does the body feel right now?

• What is going on in the mind?

• Can you tune into your attitude to this present moment? How are you relating to your experience right now?

Gather

• Notice the breath in the body, notice the inhale and the exhale

• You can place your attention on one specific area of the body – nostrils, chest, abdomen

Expand

• Become aware of the entire field of bodily sensations

• Alternatively, rest with the sensations of the whole body breathing

• Aware of the body sitting, watching the breath

• Aware of sensations, thoughts, emotions, images in the mind as they rise and fall

Be Grateful

• As the timer rings, thank yourself for taking this time to practice

• Take a deep breath in and out, before proceeding with your day

Each time we practice mindful awareness of the present moment, we use
particular neural pathways to facilitate this experience. The more frequently
we intentionally shift our attention in this way, the stronger these
connections become. As they say, neurons that fire together, wire together.
Repetition is key.

This rewiring of the brain, and training of the mind doesn’t require
complicated tasks or a huge amount of effort. We can change our brains and
learn to live with more awake awareness through simple, small moments of
mindfulness taken everyday.

Keep it simple, start small, and keep going.