With the speed at which our society advances, it seems that people live immersed in an autopilot, without being aware of our most daily actions and generating high levels of anxiety and stress.
Therefore, the practice of mindfulness can be very useful in your life, since there are countless mindfulness exercises so that you can live every moment of your day to the fullest, cope with anxiety and release the stress that may appear throughout the day. Mindfulness meditation has many benefits. If you are wondering how I can start with this practice, keep reading this Psychology-Online article where we suggest mindfulness exercises for beginners.
What is mindfulness
Currently, the meaning of mindfulness in Spanish has been translated as “full attention” or “full consciousness.” Specifically, mindfulness is defined as the ability to focus attention on experiences that are being experienced in the present momentaccepting them without judging.
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Principles of mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness consists of five essential components that we will see below.
- Attention to the present moment: consists of focusing all your attention on the present moment, instead of being aware of the past (rumination) or the future (expectations, fears and desires).
- Openness to experience: In the practice of mindfulness it is necessary to involve what is called “beginner’s mind”, to be able to observe things as if it were the first time you see them, without perceptual mechanisms taking over. In order to have the “beginner’s mind” it is essential to commit to maintaining an attitude of curiosity, openness and receptivity.
- Acceptance: Acceptance and non-judgment can be considered synonyms. You should not judge the thoughts, feelings and events of everyday life, but rather adopt an attitude of acceptance and refrain from valuing what you observe. In the event that a judgment appears in your mind involuntarily, let it pass.
- Let pass: Don’t cling to things or experiences. Don’t get caught up in any thoughts, feelings, sensations or desires. Do not get attached or identify with them, but rather relate to them in a broader way, from a decentred perspective, as passing mental events, since nothing is permanent and clinging to expired things that will inevitably pass away only causes new suffering or increases. the one that already exists.
- Intention: refers to what each person pursues when practicing mindfulness and this evolves throughout the practice.
How to get started in mindfulness
There are different mindfulness exercises, both for adults and children, but where to start? How to practice mindfulness? The practice of mindfulness is a way of living, rather than a set of techniques, as it consists of paying attention to the present moment to connect with yourself and with the actions you are taking.
Mindfulness exercises will allow you to be aware of what is happening inside you and in your environment, thereby promoting deep personal development. Its practice does not require an extensive period of time. In fact, by doing exercises to practice mindfulness for 5, 10 or 15 minutes a day is enough to improve your well-being.
The important thing about mindfulness therapy is not the exercise that is being performed itself, but the attitude that each person adopts in this practice. Next, we will show you some mindfulness exercises for beginners that you can practice in your daily life while doing actions as simple as walking.
Practice static meditation
One of the mindfulness techniques that is practiced sitting in a chair or on the floor in a certain position, the one that is comfortable for you, with your back upright). When it is already placed, watch your breathing carefully.
When you involuntarily direct your attention to another object, you must bring your awareness back to the breath. As you assimilate this technique, you can begin to observe the body, sounds, thoughts, feelings, etc. To do this, you must have absolute control over your breathing, since when you begin to introduce more complex elements you must prevent your concentration from deviating from them.
Pay attention to day-to-day experiences
Washing the dishes, setting the table, or cleaning the house are good exercises to practice mindfulness. The simple technique of put all your attention on the immediate experience makes this become a more vivid experience.
Meditate while you walk
A mindfulness exercise that consists of pay attention to the walking experience. Walk without any purpose and take advantage of any occasion to take a walk and observe the sensations in your feet, legs and entire body. Additionally, you can also incorporate mindfulness of breathing from static meditation. The important thing is to be present at every step.
Pay attention to your body
Mindfulness exercises for beginners like this one allow reestablish contact with one’s own body. When applying this technique you must focus sequentially on the various parts of your body while lying down with your eyes closed. Experience the sensations it transmits to you, connect with each area without judging and accept the unpleasant sensations that appear.
Practice Hatha yoga
If you are looking for mindfulness exercises to calm anxiety, this technique is ideal for you. The simple postures of Hatha yoga allow you to acquire greater awareness of bodily sensations. It can be practiced in a complementary way to the static meditation exercise and a careful review of the body. In this article you will find information about all the .
Focus on your daily goals
At the start of the day, Focus your attention on the goals you want to achieve during the course of the day. There doesn’t have to be many, but it’s better to focus your attention on two or three. The objectives can be whatever you want, both work-related, personal or emotional. Put your full attention on them and reach for them!
Focus on your thoughts
Generally, during the course of the day we tend to get stressed, since we lead a very fast pace of life. Faced with this, the last thing we think about is what to do to reduce stress. However, a good exercise to reduce the intensity of these thoughts is to sit and stop and think about them. If you have children or work with children, you may be interested in learning more.
Write a diary
If you want mindfulness therapy to be part of your life, you can do an exercise as simple as write down how your day went. Even if they are just a few words, writing will help you capture the feelings and thoughts you have experienced during the day. This exercise will allow you to focus your attention on the present moment and isolate yourself from the outside for a moment.
Disconnect from technology
Nowadays we usually carry our mobile phone everywhere and consult it for anything. In this sense, one of the mindfulness exercises for beginners that we recommend is spend a day without a cell phone. Plan what you want to do and write down how many times you feel the urge to look at your phone.
In addition, you can capture in writing all the experiences you have had and everything to which you have paid more attention thanks to not having been aware of any technological device.
stand up and listen
With this exercise you will learn mindfulness in an easy and simple way. You just have to focus your attention on the sounds outside, the sounds around you, and even the sound of your own body. Listen effortlessly and let the sounds be part of you. Apply this technique for a few minutes each day and you will notice how your perception changes.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Álvarez, ML (2013). What is Mindfulness. 2017, from the Official College of Psychologists of Madrid.
- Bertolin, GJ (2014). Efficacy-effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program: update. Rev. Asoc. Esp. Neuropsiq, 35, 289-307.
- Didonna, F. (2011). Clinical Manual of Mindfulness. Bilbao: Desclée de Brouwer, SA
- Simon, V. (2010). Mindfulness and psychology: present and future. Psychological Information, 100, 162-170.