What is mindfulness meditation?
- Mindfulness meditation is simply dropping down into our body & feeling the sensations of our body & our changing emotions.
- We are simply being present with what is going on inside us.
- We are anchoring ourselves in our present. Our thoughts no longer drive us to the past or the future, instead, we are fully living here.
Why is meditation important?
- Allows us to understand our mind and take control of it instead of having it control us. It brings inner peace and self awareness.
- Allows us to be present: to be aware of what is happening here and now: in our thoughts, our emotions, our bodies.
- Allows us to stop identifying with our thoughts and emotions.
- We have space to CHOOSE how to react, to CHOOSE the story we tell about ourselves.
How often should I practise?
- Start with a short meditation every day, five minutes of sitting down in the morning.
- Once you have a consistent habit, you may start to slowly increase the time you meditate for.
- Constancy over quantity
Benefits of mindfulness meditation
- Meditation helps you break out of negative thought patterns by giving you clarity.
- It can bring the simple peace and joy of being present, as you are less likely to repeat negative reactive patterns.
- The same way we have body hygiene, we need to have mental hygiene, to keep not just our body clean but our mind too.
- It is not just a personal responsibility but a collective one. When you centred and balanced within your mind, you spread that peace with everyone you meet through your own behaviour.