When we hear about mindfulness meditation, we often think of a monk wearing orange robes, sitting cross-legged atop a mountain, and doing something that seems really out of the way for someone like us who lives in big cities surrounded by technology and all sorts of distractions.

But in reality, practicing mindfulness meditation is something straightforward, and anyone anywhere can reap its benefits if they practice it for even 10 to 20 minutes each day.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can practice mindfulness meditation.

1. Find a quiet place where you won’t be distracted and get comfortable. You can sit on the floor cross-legged, sit on the chair with your back straight, or even lie down. Whichever you prefer, just make sure you are comfortable and stay active.
2. Relax and make sure there is no tension in your body.
3. Gently close your eyes and breathe as you normally would. It could be inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth or inhaling and exhaling through your nose, whichever you prefer.
4. Observe your breaths as they naturally pass. Don’t try to control your breathing; just see it as it naturally is. Become aware of the sensation of your breath and how it feels going in through your nose, traveling through your body, and then going out.
5. Now the gist of meditation starts. During this focus on your breath, your mind will get distracted by thoughts and wander away. You’ll be focusing on your breath, and the next moment, you will realize that you are lost in thought, or some idea has distracted you from your focus on your breathing. Whenever you find that your mind is distracted, let go of that thought and gently bring your attention back to your breath.
6. This will happen hundreds of times during your practice. Your focus on your breath will be distracted, and you will find yourself engaged in something else. But whenever that happens, you bring your attention back to your breath. By doing this, you are training your mind to become more aware of itself and ground its attention in the present moment. Just like exercise, the more you become aware of your distraction and bring your attention back, the more your mind will become robust when it comes to staying in the present moment.
7. If you are starting, you can begin by meditating only 10 minutes a day. After that, you can increase it to 20 or 30 minutes or however long you feel comfortable doing.

Just like regular exercise, meditation takes practice and commitment to start seeing results. Even ten minutes each day over a couple of months can show an immense difference in your wellbeing.

It is possible for you to live a healed and fulfilling life again and our professional team is on hand to assist you as you begin this journey. Contact Restore 360 for additional mental health tips and to learn more about our top-rated services. We are here for you.