How to Start Your Mindfulness Journey - An Authentic Approach

Searching for deeper insight and awareness of oneself is a curiosity that we all possess. Whether we go looking for it in dance, art, film, or music- is up to us- completely free to explore. So how to start your mindfulness journey in today's world? Don't worry, I got you!

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Mindfulness techniques and practices have been around since the dawn of time, proving how truly spiritual are no matter the time. But where can we begin? Does meditation have to look like sitting still for thirty minutes? Ain't that same bill going to be due after the meditation practice is up?

Mindfulness teaches us how to bring nonjudgmental attention to our present experiences. To sum it up, mindfulness is the understanding and comprehension that thoughts are just that, thoughts. Not to be judged as "good" or "bad". Pretty simple, right?

The easiest way to get to this state of observing and releasing is through breathwork. Breath is such an important part of mindfulness and meditation, that you probably won't be able to feel as many refreshing benefits without learning how to breathe first. Yes, we are learning how about the importance of breathing on this blog, stay with me! So let's get started on how to start your mindfulness journey.

Since we are always breathing, it is our constant reminder that we are here, living right now, so let your breath be your anchor into this very moment!

Below is a mindful breathing practice to focus on the breath and what our body is saying.

1. Find a quiet place, wherever that may be for you right now. This could be a closet, bathroom floor, the chair in the kitchen - you are always going to be in the present moment.

   
   

2. Settle in. If you like to sit on the floor, chair, or bed, do that. If you prefer sitting on a small pillow crisscross applesauce, by all means!

   
   

3. Take a deep breath through your nose, and let it fill up every part of your body slowly.

   
   

4. Exhale out, allowing the air to slowly pour out of the body, through the nostrils.

   
   

5. Notice any judgments, wishes, or thoughts that arise during this time, and release each one as they come, coming back to awareness of the breath.

   
   

6. Pay attention to your posture and breath while in this state, and release any "tension sets", which are areas in the body you are clenching.*

*Usually the forehead, jaw, teeth or shoulders are what we clench first.

By being a witness to the movement of your breath, we can calm our body, harmonize the mind and settle the spirit.

The journey starts out as a thought, then we make it reality.

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For more information in greater detail on Mindful and Meditation practices, here are some pretty cool reads:

1. Butera, PhD, Robert, and Erin Byron, MA. Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Mindful Living: Awareness and Meditation Practices for Living in the Present Moment. Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd, 2016.

2. The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook: Holistic Healing Rituals for Everyday and Season - Sarah Kucera, DC, CAP

3. Total Meditation - Deepak Chopra, MD