Meditation and mindfulness are techniques that call for non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. It is possible to practice mindfulness in many various ways, such as through mindfulness meditation, yoga, or tai chi. Mindfulness is a state of awareness in which one is fully aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. As a type of mindfulness exercise, meditation usually entails sitting in quiet, concentrating one’s attention on the breath, a word, or a phrase, and bringing it back when the mind veers off.
Benefits of meditation and awareness include:
- lowering anxiety and stress
- enhancing control over emotions and mood
- improving immunological health improving sleep reducing depressive symptoms improving concentration and focus increasing self-awareness
- minimizing pain
- Bringing down blood pressure
Mindfulness and meditation are generally considered to be safe practices, however, it’s important to note that for some individuals, it may not be appropriate, particularly for those who have certain mental health conditions such as severe anxiety or psychosis. It’s also important to seek guidance from a qualified teacher or therapist before starting a mindfulness or meditation practice.
Our professionals have created a few worksheets to help you get started with practicing mindfulness and meditation to reap it’s benefits.