No, I’m not going to prescribe an hour long technique to get you started on mindfulness. I know you are busy but still, kudos to you for wanting to explore ways to be more mindful.
But before that, what does it mean to be mindful?
Simply put, mindfulness means being aware in the present moment, in the here and the now.
As you read this, try feeling the sensations in your big toe right now. Don’t judge the feeling, simply focus on it and notice that it’s there. There you go, you were mindful of your big toe!
Here are a few short and simple ways to get you going:
- Next time you are drinking your tea/coffee, feel the aura of the drink, feel the in-take of every sip and devour it fully. Don’t multi-task. Take your time and notice how you feel in the process.
- For 2 minutes everyday, sit comfortably and pay careful attention to the sounds around you. You’ll be amazed at how much you notice and the subsequent feeling of calm at the end of the exercise.
- Try the above technique whenever you are feeling overwhelmed due to work pressure mid-day or information overload from social media. Notice how you feel at the end of the two minutes.
- Eat your food slowly; notice the colors and bite slowly, devouring each bite as if it was the best and last meal of your life.
It isn’t like you are doing anything new with these techniques. But just that, applying these four simple techniques will make you notice life’s simple pleasures that would otherwise have gone unnoticed in our daily rush. By paying attention to the small details, we become more present and can breathe with a sense of calm.
The Mindful Nepali 