Meditation can be practiced in a number of ways and it need not be complicated. Many people find that daily meditation is a powerful means of achieving a state of inner well-being, since it aids in grounding the practitioner in the moment and can enable the mind and senses to experience life fully. For those in recovery from addiction, daily meditation helps to maintain serenity and connection to a higher power.
Mindfulness meditation is described as a calm, non-judgmental awareness of consciousness — mind, body, emotions, and even consciousness itself. Mindfulness is particularly effective in restoring peace of mind in times of emotional stress or when experiencing anxiety. One quick way to engage in mindfulness meditation is to sit with feet planted on the floor and simply observe the body, the level of tension and relaxation in different muscle groups, for instance — to observe the thoughts as they pass through, like clouds across the sky, and to observe different emotions that may present; either in response to a thought or for no reason at all. The idea is to simply be in the moment, observing without attaching any particular emphasis or judgment to any thought or feeling, for a period of time, say, 5 minutes. The time spent in the exercise can be adjusted, but the goal is to be able to lengthen the time spent each day. Some advocates recommend at least 20 min. a day, some insist is should be an hour, but the beauty of mindfulness is it is up to the individual.
Another way of experiencing mindfulness meditation is to take a walk outside, consciously experiencing the world through all the senses. Sometimes it’s good to add the repetition of a mantra, for instance, “I’m healing,” or, “I’m happy in the moment” — anything that will encourage and establish positive self-talk and enable the brain to establish new neural pathways so that the level of “feel-good” chemicals in brain increases. When using a mantra, daily application for at least 3 wks. is required before the results kick in, but they always kick in if we work it daily and consistently.
Some who practice mindfulness report they do their meditation while / by watching a sunset or sunrise, lighting a candle and watching the flame, or during any quiet moment in a given day. Mindfulness meditation has been found to empower those who practice it daily with ability to stay present in each moment and to enjoy life with serenity and a positive attitude. Like exercise, meditation is a daily program which rewards the mind and body both immediate and long-term benefits when consistently practiced.