Actual Steps in Applying Mindfulness to Anything and using Walking as an example
Part 1- Steps in turning any routine exercise or daily activity into mindfulness meditation
What kind of activities can be turned in to a mindfulness meditation?
Anything that is done over and over, like walking, running, floor sweeping, or just waiting in line can be turned into mindfulness meditation.
What is mindfulness and when does it become meditation?
Mindfulness is experiencing by feeling and sensing what is happening in the present moment, allowing it to unfold and accepting it for what it is, without using any thinking activities like comparing it with the past and future, or emotionally judging it as good or bad. Applying mindfulness to anything, over and over , again and again, moment by moment and you are doing a form of mindfulness meditation.
What are the key things to remember to do and not to do to stay mindful?
The three key things to do are 1. Stay only in the present moment, and 2. Experience by feeling-sensing and 3. Allow it to unfold as you accept just for what it is. The two things not to do 1. avoid any reference to past-future and 2. thinking in any form. By thinking in any form I mean no comparing, expecting , controlling and judging.
Can you further simply this?
Simply do stay in present, feel, allow and accept, and don’t compare, expect, control or judge.
What is the best way to learn how to apply mindfulness?
Breathing is used as the training ground to develop mindfulness, and as the anchor, or home base for mindfulness meditation. What you learn from applying mindfulness to breathing can then be applied to any activity.
How do I apply mindfulness to breathing?
Try this now using the Four F’s, to get a sense of how mindfulness is applied to breathing. Find your breath in the present moment, Feel your breathing sensations, without thinking about it, Follow each breath as it goes in and out, as you allow it to unfold and accepting it regardless of feeling good or bad, make this process your only Focus in the present moment, this feeling, allowing, and accepting, without using thinking, and do this over and over. Instruction Sheet for Mindfulness Meditation, BareBonesMeditation, Technique of Breathing with Mindfulness the Fine Points Try doing this for 10 to 20 cycles.
I tried this but my mind kept wandering , is this normal?
It is normal and to be expected that as you try to do this your mind will wander and you will be pulled off focus by thinking. When this occurs notice that thinking is happening, and go back to trying to maintain exclusive focus on feeling the breathing.
How do I handle these distractions?
The basic formula that you repeat over and over is feel the breathing, allow and accept it, breath by breath, when distracted by your wandering mind, notice that you are distracted, and then return to trying to maintain your exclusive focus only on feeling, allowing and accepting the breathing in the present moment, without using thinking from past or future, or using emotional judgment.Labeling and Distractions
Is there a simple formula?
Feel the breathing, notice the distraction, return back to feeling the breathing , over and over.
Part 2. Specifically applying mindfulness to walking an introduction
How would I apply mindfulness to something like walking?
The first step in applying mindfulness to any activity is first do the activity like walking is as follows. Walk as you usually do, and but now pay attention to your breathing as you are walking, and pay attention to just two things the walking and the breathing. While you are doing this keep you mind only in the present moment, just walking and feeling the breathing, over and over, no past , no future, no judging, and when distracted by thinking, notice the distraction, and go back to feeling the breathing, and walking. Walk and breathe, until distracted, notice the distraction, then return back to only feeling the breathing as you are walking. Walk and breath, notice the distraction, return to feeling the breathing.
I am having a hard time doing this, what should I do?
Take your time, be patient, and practice, practice and more practice .You need to practice this in steps. First practice the breathing alone, like while sitting, or standing in line, then practice the breathing while walking, and then after you are comfortable with walking and focusing in on the breathing you can then move on to the next step.
So when I am ready how to I apply mindfulness more specifically to walking?
This how you add mindfulness to the actual walking sensation movements. Use the same 4 F’s you applied to breathing staying in the present moment, feeling allowing and accepting without using thinking, by controlling, expecting, comparing or judging good or bad.
What are the specifics of the 4 F’s as applied to walking?
Find the physical sensations of your walking movements, Feel the sensations of walking, without thinking about them in any way, Feel your body moving, Feel your legs moving, Feel your feet moving, Feel the physical sensations of your body moving as you walking, you shoulders, arms, torso, hips, thighs, lower legs, your feet, Feel yourself moving though space, don’t think about it, don’t use control, or judge or expect anything special, just walk, feel, the walking movement from head to toe, just gliding through space, Follow the lead of the walking movement sensations, not your minds thoughts about the walking. Follow the walking movements one step after the other, allowing them to unfold, accept them regardless of feeling good or bad, and like the breathing, make the feeling, allowing, and accepting only in the present moment, and then moment by moment, your exclusive Focus, over and over, again and again.
What should I do when my mind wanders?
When distracted go back to feeling the walking, if your have trouble with finding, feeling, following, and focusing on the walking sensations, then or go back and find, feel, follow and focus on your breathing. You can always go back to home base, your anchor, the breathing when distracted because your mind wanders.
Does it make any difference how fast or slow I walk and how should I start practicing?
Most people find that to start very slow walking is easier, and it may be best to practice this when you are alone and in a quiet place, so you will not draw attention to yourself and add another distraction. Find a place where you can take about ten steps, and just go back and forth. The important thing is to walk, and breathe, stay in the present moment, feel the breathing and the movements of the walking, don’t expect, control or judge your self, and when you are distracted, notice the distraction, and return back to the walking. Walk normally, breathe normally, feel the breathing, feel the walking, when you are distracted by your wandering mind, notice it, and return back to feeling the breathing and the walking, over and over, again and again.