Practicing mindfulness has benefits for meditation as well as your health. People who undergo mindfulness training can substantially reduce their stress. There are various exercises once can perform to enhance their mindfulness. By practicing mindfulness you devote your entire attention to exactly what you are doing and notice every minute detail. To overcome stress one would train themselves to notice what is the source of their stress, what stress does to their body and mind, and then how to overcome the harm the stress may be causing.
Mindfulness training started back at the time of Buddha. It was believed that the mind should just focus on the present and not look forward to the future or think about the past. By just focusing on what is happening now one can reduce stress and feel a sense of peace and tranquility. In the modern world mindfulness training is found when one studies, not only meditation, but Tai Chi or Yoga. These all teach one to become aware of your body, mind and what emotions you may be feeling.
We are all actually born being very mindful. But as we age and our world becomes more and more complex our mind is filled with worries and thoughts. As children we were mindful as we lived in the moment and didn’t think about what had to be done tomorrow or what was done in the past. Thus our imagination was never limited and our creativity was unbounded. Therefore you are capable of being mindful since you already have done it. Now it is simply a matter of relearning what you already know.
The basic formula for mindfulness is quite simple. First focus on a specific action or trigger. Next understand that you noticed what you noticed. Third monitor and focus on how you react to that trigger or action. By really paying attention to the minute details of what you do and practicing mindfulness you understand how you react to certain things, and then you will learn how to react differently to something if it is something you want to change. So if you become irritated or frustrated when something occurs, you begin by noticing what is going on, and thus if you want a different outcome, catch yourself in the moment and decide what you want to do. Instead of having an involuntary reaction, take control of the situation and control how you want to react.
Some people describe practicing mindfulness as increasing your baseline equanimity and clarity. They define clarity as understanding each sensory experience of your body. This includes images you might see or internal conversions one may have with themselves. Equanimity is dealing with and reacting to the sensory experience that one noticing at a given moment. They will have a sense of calm and thus react appropriately.
Keep in mind that mindfulness training is something that needs to be practiced on a continuous basis the same as if you were doing an exercise. You need to push yourself and stay in a routine. Then and only then will you become a master. You can shift your consciousness quicker and understand exactly what is going on around you when you practice daily.
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