Maximize the Mindfulness of Mediation

"You should sit and meditate for 20 minutes a day. Unless you are very busy, then you should meditate for an hour."  - Zen Proverb

Mediation:
Most people have heard this quote but find they still don't have the time! Meditation is an entirely beneficial practice for you and also for everyone around you. If you have no idea where to start don't get discouraged! There is a simple, powerful way to begin to tap into this practice. As you breathe in, silently say "In" and as you breathe out, silently say "Out". This is a simple way to bring you back to your body and the present. It is said that you cannot worry and breathe at the same time, so the next time you feel stressed, anxious or even overwhelmed just breathe through it.

Mindfulness:
Meditation helps you to cultivate and maintain a level of presence and awareness; presence in the sense that you feel your power as a human being and an individual. This is to go beyond any preconceived notion you have about your personality, actions, appearance etc. Being mindful greatly improves your self-respect and sense of self.

Awareness:
Awareness acts like that age old cartoon of the angel on your shoulder. It’s the whisper in the back of your mind leading you to the path most right for you in that moment. Both these acts ripple into your life, making your interactions with others more open, informed and beautiful.

Is it hard to be mindful all of the time, to be aware of how you’re feeling, in the present moment?

It does not matter what feeling you have. Anxious, calm, strong, kind, generous, etc., taking the time to meditate to be aware of the moment you are in is the first step to being mindful.

Written by Nicole Whitely and Amy Trachter
Links to GaiamTV meditation videos.

---