Okay, so what would be an example of mindfulness? Or of being unmindful?
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around you and with what you are doing. -Thich Nhat Hanh
Being mindful literally comes down to living in the present moment. Often we will be walking somewhere, oblivious to everything around us. We are caught up in our worries, something that has occurred in the past, or something that is yet to happen. Being mindful is as easy as paying attention.
Imagine you are talking with a friend. Halfway through the conversation you start worrying about what happened in your last class. Suddenly you realize you haven't been paying attention and give your friend the stereotypical "yeah, uh-huh." We have all done this. A great example of being mindful is just making sure that your attention is focused on your conversation, not your worries.
So being mindful means being in the present, focused. Does that mean I can't reminisce or plan or the future?
Right, being mindful is being in the present moment. However, this doesn't mean you can't think about the past or plan for the future. The idea is to not stress or worry about either. For the past, the event has already occurred - you can't change it. As for the future, it hasn't happened yet - and the way you imagine it may never occur. When dealing with the past or future, just acknowledge you are thinking about it. If you are planning for the future, just be aware that you are doing so. Be "conscious" about it - have your efforts focused on that task.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a simple and effortless process where you connect with the silence and peace within yourself. During meditation the attention flows inward instead of engaging in the outside world of activity. - American Meditation Society
Meditation IS NOT sitting down and clearing your mind. Go ahead and try it now. Within a few seconds some thought, picture, or sound will cross your mind. Meditation is the practice of picking a focus point, be it breath, mantra, white noise (not music), and focusing on it. During this period of focus, your attention will drift. The goal is to spot the drift, let go of it, and return your attention to the focus point. This whole process is meditation.
So I've never meditated before. What should I do?
Starting out (normally) it is easiest to focus on your breath. By focus, you shouldn't try to control it - just observe it. Pick some aspect of your breath to focus on. When you notice you are thinking about something else, let the thought go and bring your focus back to your breath. You can read more about breath meditation and a more in depth explanation HERE.
How long are you supposed to meditate?
The amount you meditate is really up to you. Different groups advise different amounts. During club meetings we typically do a 20 minute meditation. However, some people are uncomfortable for sitting that long. Set a timer for 10 or 20 minutes. If you find yourself fidgeting or unable to focus at all anymore, stop. See what time you have left and modify your timer for the next day. That way you can slowly build up your time.
So I should try to increase my meditation time indefinitely?
Not necessarily. We are using meditation as a tool to live a mindful life. In essence, meditation is practice. You want to experience life while being mindful. Meditation is just an isolated practice of mindfulness. If you want to sit and meditate for an extended period of time (upwards of 30 minutes) that's great! But generally 20 minutes is a good amount of time to meditate.
What are the Benefits of Meditation?
In recent years, studies have shown several interesting results concerning meditation. Namely, that meditating every day actually does make a difference in your everyday life and health.
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Meditation has been shown to rebuild gray brain matter
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Meditation helps reduce stress
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Meditation can lead to increased focus on tasks, thus decreasing the time tasks can take
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Meditation leads to better grades
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Meditation can help prevent certain diseases
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Meditation helps improve the immune system
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Meditation helps with creativity