Mindfulness only works if you practice. Do however much practice works for you. The most important thing as you start out is to do a little practice every day. Try to practice for at least 10 minutes most days, and more if you like. As a guideline, enthusiasts might do a 30-45 minute session each day (or perhaps split this into two shorter sessions).
You can start out with the guided meditations provided here, then either continue with these guided meditations or perhaps start to make up your own silent meditations. Of course, there are many other guided meditations available as recordings or transcripts on the web, on YouTube, and in books.
Remember the basic meditation instructions:
- Choose an anchor – the breath, bodily feelings, sounds, thoughts, a silent mantra, or open awareness
- Allow your attention to rest on your chosen anchor without any effort
- When you notice other sounds, images, feelings, or thoughts have entered the mind
- gently allow your attention to return to your chosen anchor
- Do this with a sense of kindness and curiosity. Allow yourself to enjoy the sensations of breathing
Remember to smile! Be light-hearted. Approach your practice (and your life) in a spirit of compassion, humour, and humility.
Mindfulness is not just sitting in silent meditation. You can also practice yoga, mindful walking, mindful activities, and ultimately bringing mindfulness into everything you do.
Be playful and experiment. Find a practice that works for you, and expect to change your practice from time-to-time.
Common pitfalls include
- The obvious one - not practising!
- Trying too hard – meditation should be effortless
- Getting caught up in trains of thought that feel really compelling and can result in self-sabotage
- Trying to achieve some special state or to measure your progress
Practising meditation may be a good thing, but you can’t just live your life in your head. You also need to do things! If you feel troubled by repetitive or intrusive thoughts, try re-directing your attention by doing something positive, something you find pleasurable or satisfying. Ask yourself which aspects of life are most important to you (your values), and let that be your inner compass when you are unsure which direction to go in or what to do next.
As best you can, practice feeling gratitude. As long as you are breathing, there is always something to be grateful for. Learning to regard every event in life as a gift, even the unpleasant events, may seem a little strange at first. But psychologically it puts you in the best position to make the most of your life, whatever the circumstances.
The information above is provided for guidance only. If you are experiencing significant mental health difficulties, you should seek professional advice. The following links might help (in the UK): NHS Mental Health Services | Counselling Directory | Mind (the mental health charity) | The Mental Health Foundation