Don’t Think Do: Atomic Hacks to Immediately Start Your Mindfulness Practice
Starting a mindfulness practice isn’t easy. I feel your pain.
It took me many years to establish my practice which I have now been doing successfully for over 13 years.
Are you wanting to start your mindfulness practice?
Have you tried a number of times setting up a practice but with limited success?
Do you need practical ideas to make your mindfulness practice consistent?
You know the benefits of mindfulness. Being present allows you to no longer be a slave to repeat thoughts. Moving through your day-to-day activities with joy.
You know you want to be doing mindfulness. But with the hustle and bustle of life, it’s hard to find the time. It can be hard for you to remember.
The following mindful hacks are practical and life-changing.
How to maximize the 2 Areas in your Mindfulness practice
“The crux of meditation practice is to sustain continuous mindfulness. For this one needs stability and durability of mind, strong effort, and the courage to overcome difficulties.”
— Sayadaw U. Panita
There are two primary areas to set up your mindfulness practice.
#1. Formal Practice
Sitting. Sit on the floor or on a chair. If you sit on the floor, have your legs crossed. If you choose to sit on a seat, sit on the edge of the chair with no back support.
The following are 4 exercises for mindfulness that naturally will flow into one another. This is from the granddaddy of mindfulness Mahasi Sayadaw.
Exercise 1: During the first few minutes of meditation beware of your abdomen rising and falling. Don’t look to alter your breathing in any way.
Exercise 2: label thoughts as they arise in your mind. For example, if you heard a noise, mentally say to yourself that you are “hearing, hearing”.
Exercise 3: when pain arises in your body. And it will! Mentally label the pain by saying mentally “pain, pain.”
Exercise 4: When doubts arise about the effectiveness of the practice, again label them. You can note them by mentally saying “doubting, doubting.”
When there is nothing left to label, you come back to being aware of the rising and falling of your abdomen.
Walking. Choose a path either inside or outside where you can walk up and down.
“For formal walking, retreatants choose a lane of about twenty steps, and then walk slowly back and forth along it.”
— Sayadaw U. Panita
Standing with your legs together and hands by your side. You can either clap the wrists behind or in front of the body, with your arms straight. Close your eyes.
As you breathe in label your breath mentally “rising.” As you exhale, mentally label your breath “falling.”
After a few repetitions, start walking slowly. Place your gaze a few feet in front of you.
When you move the right foot, mentally label “right” and for the left foot “left.” Along with the mentally labeling of your steps be aware of the sensations on the sole of your feet.
At first, you may feel shaking or unsteadiness in your legs and ankles. This will subside over time.
When you get to the end of your walking path. Stop, turn and walk back. Continue walking up and back along your path for your allocated time.
#2. Daily activities
Mindfulness can be carried out when not involved in a formal practice. During all your daily activities mindfulness can be done.
A monk said to me once that formal practice may only take up a couple of hours of your day. What is really important is how you manage and work with your mind for the remaining 14 waking hours.
Your mind will never settle down and allow for insight if you don’t do mindfulness during your daily activities. For example, if you have a wound on your arm. And only 2 hours a day the wound is covered. For the next 14 hours you remove the bandage and you scratch this open wound. The result will be your wound will never heal.
Be aware of all your activities during the day. What is the first thought you have when you wake up? Notice all actions when you sit up in bed. Mindfully cut up and prepare your food. Label all the activities involved in eating.
Hacks to Implement a Consistent Practice
I stated 3 ways to engage in mindfulness practice. The following is how to make your practice consistent.
Location and time: meditate in the same location each day. And at the same time.
Physical preparation and management: do hip and groin stretches to assist with being able to sit. If you aren’t used to sitting then you will experience pain.
Meditation props: when you sit on the floor have a cushion/pillow under your buttocks. Ensure your knees are positioned lower than your hips. This will alleviate the knee pain.
Increase time over time: start with 10 minutes in week 1 when you first start sitting. Each proceeding week increase by 2 minutes only. Start small and increase by small amounts.
Order of meditation: start with walking meditation. After walking meditation then sit.
“A yogi who does not do walking meditation before sitting is like a car with a rundown battery. He or she will have a difficult time starting the engine of mindfulness when sitting.”
— Sayadaw U. Panita
Concluding thoughts:
Over time with the right effort, your practice will be easier. Keep at it.
Implementing these actionable steps will make your mindfulness practice consistent. It’s through practicing every day that the benefits will result.
You will now see the beauty in life when you stay present in the moment. Your world will move in slow motion. You will feel and be present with those around you.
The time to start is NOW.