The THIRD step to beginning a Mindfulness practice
Step #1 Attending to the Breath
Step #2 Create an Informal practice
Step #3 The Formal Practice: Mindfulness Meditation
“The most profound way to cultivate mindfulness is through formal meditation. The term formal implies that you take a specific portion of time and find a conducive environment for a deeper level of focused practice. Another quality of formal practice is that it request we suspend our focus on productivity and achievement. We focus on the process rather than the product. The goal of formal practice is not to make something specific happen. Rather, it is an opportunity to reconnect with the inner workings that motivate all our endeavors.” (MIRAVAL)
So how do you start a formal practice? Here are some ideas.
• Walk intentionally, taking slow and conscious steps back & forth in a small area.
• Listen to a guided meditation if you are new to meditating.
• Sit in a comfortable sitting or reclining position and relax & close your eyes. Take a moment to scan your body and adjust as necessary. Begin to notice your breath. Guide the breath down towards the abdomen. If you get distracted (and most of us do) the practice is to bring your awareness back to the breath.
There are so many great apps and books out there to help teach you the basics of mindfulness meditations.
I invite you to begin your own practice. I began my daily practice three years ago and the results have been life changing to say the least!
