Mindfulness is a form of meditation that integrates the teachings of Buddha in the East along with the most scientific research from the West, and It literally means “mindfulness” or “mindfulness.”.

Part of the idea that Our mind is a machine that generates constant thoughts automatically and thoughtlessly.and that we live in a reality full of stimuli that disperse us and make us forget about ourselves, living in a state of ignorance, disconnection and repression in front of our mind and our body.

What benefits does mindfulness have?

Meditation us helps us become aware of our mental processes, freeing us and making the mind stop dominating us.

Furthermore, it has numerous benefits proven by sciencesuch as a reduction in stress levels, structural changes in our brain by increasing gray matter, improving our cognitive capacity such as working memory, verbal reasoning and stimulating creativity.

It also protects us from different mental disorders, gives us a broader view of realityprevents somatic physical manifestations, reduces the perception of pain, helps us sleep better and makes us happier and more compassionate people.

We can start practicing mindfulness with a few simple exercises, although cultivating certain attitudes on a daily basis is essential to establish yourself on the path and live with more awareness. Before moving on to the exercises, discover what those «mindfulness» attitudes are:

Mindfulness exercises to get started

here you go some simple exercises to start practicing that work the foundation of mindfulness, so that you can later transfer it more easily to everything you do during the day:

1. Deep breaths

One of the most used forms of relaxation techniques, including mindfulness, is based on bring attention to breathing.

Breathing is a cyclical act that is in a constant flow, it keeps us alive and connected at all times with the present, in an unequivocal union of our body with the air that surrounds us.

Air is also a changing element, we breathe different air each time. Furthermore, it is something we have at all times.

These qualities make breathing a very useful and simple method to connect with the here and now.

Normally we breathe automatically and unconsciously; However, breathing is the main form of nutrition for our body, so becoming aware of it and being able to modulate it will give us greater self-control over ourselves.

A breathing exercise What you can practice is:

1. Stretch face up on a stable and rigid surface, preferably as close to the ground as possible.
2. Place a hand on your chest, at the height of your heart, and another on your belly. You can play some meditation music or relaxing music or be silent.
3. Close your eyes and start breathing in through your nose, trying to bring the air into your belly, feeling how it swells (diaphragmatic breathing).
4. Once your belly has swollen, just filled you up by expanding the capacity towards your chest also. Do it slowly, counting the seconds, hold your breath for 2 seconds,
5. Starts to expire through your mouth slowly for the same seconds that it took you to inhale.
6. Repeat this process for a few minutes.

2. Observe your thinking

Eastern meditation aims leave your mind blank, stopping all kinds of thoughts.

However, in our current society this goal is too unattainable at first, so Mindfulness tries to play with attention, focusing it on something specific and thus slow down the coming and going of thoughts and the dispersion.

For example, you can do the previous breathing exercise and in that case The element you will focus on to leave others aside will be your own breathing..

Try to be fully aware of it, and you will notice that while you do it, intrusive thoughts will surely cross your mind that try to disconnect you from the present moment.

The present moment is nothing more than what is happening while you breathe, On the other hand, thoughts will take you to the past or the future. Don’t worry, give yourself understanding and try to gently return your attention back to your breathing.

Do it as many times as the thoughts come to you.

The mind has the peculiarity of being able to observe itself, and the more you practice these exercises, the more understanding you will have about yourself, the more control you will acquire and the easier it will be for you.

3. Identify your emotions

Surely not only thoughts will disperse your attentionsince in most cases these are accompanied by emotions.

In our day to day we are exposed to a large number of events that cause emotional reactions in usand most of us carry a heavy backpack of emotions that, for the most part, we have managed to repress and mask to make it easier for us to continue with our lives.

We look for distractions or keep ourselves busy so we don’t have time to think about them. It is for that reason that, the moment we are alone, in silence, and let our guard down, those accumulated emotions can resurface spontaneously and remind us that they are still there alive.

It is common that the first times we practice mindfulness we feel discomfort, sadness, and even anxiety.contrary to what we think it should be (relaxing). It’s totally natural, and it shouldn’t scare you or discourage you from continuing.

To clean, one must first confront the dirt, and it is the first thing we usually encounter, when removing everything that we have managed to try to hide it out of the way.

One of the techniques that can help to cope with those emotions is to observe how they are, how they feel, without trying to repress or eliminate them.

And it will also be useful for you to name them.

When we name something, we make it more manageable and it seems less strange to us. That way, we will be better able to master emotions, instead of being dominated by them.

4. Use visualization

The mental world is too abstract and, accustomed to the world of more sensory stimuli, we can often get lost. Using visualization techniques will facilitate mental control in order to generate a state of relaxation and be able to better manage the thoughts and emotions that arise.

In our minds we have a very broad record of sensations linked to certain imagesobjects, textures, colors, etc. Just the act of thinking about something activates the areas of the brain related to its act, so thinking about activities or places, for example, that awaken pleasant and calm sensations in us, will help us bring those sensations to the present.

You can also begin to generate new associations during meditation, so that when you enter a state of relaxation that you feel comfortable with, you can memorize it by associating a shape, a color, so that the next times you practice mindfulness you visualize that shape to immerse yourself again in the state of relaxation that you achieved.

5. Become aware of your body

Often, our emotions hide behind our body in the form of bodily sensations.

Our body is still a kind of container that contains everything, and sometimes we don’t even know what is happening to us because our mind (that organ that seems to act independently and that we strive to control) hide certain things so that they do not upset usbut they become muscle tensions, skin problems, digestive problems, etc.

Therefore, When you practice mindfulness, pay careful attention to your body. Observe yourself, as a kind of machinery with extremely complex and intelligent protection strategies that, however, you try to understand to help you in the task that these automatic mechanisms try to accomplish.

Take a position of compassion towards yourself, and without judging or blaming yourself, observe yourself and try to understand yourself.

Notice how certain thoughts will generate certain physical sensations, and Gently try to help yourself breathe so you don’t worry about it.

Forgiving yourself even for those unpleasant sensations, and take you to that present moment in which nothing is more important than the fortune of being alive and feeling everything you feel.