Though practicing meditation or yoga definitely helps, what's great about Mindfulness meditation is that we can practice it in our everyday lives without having to set aside an hour for class or 20 minutes for alone time. All we need to do is just be "present" and be completely aware of what we are experiencing in our surroundings.

This can happen as we feel our feet as we walk down the street, savor in the smell of fresh baked pastry as we pass a bakery, or focus in on the different sounds of the subway as it stops at our station.

Here are 5 tips to help get you started with Mindfulness meditation in your everyday life:

1. Be in the "present" moment. Don't think about yesterday, tonight, or tomorrow—think about right now. How do you feel right now? What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear? Use all your senses to be "present".
2. Be aware of your where you are emotionally and physically and appreciate the beauty of this moment and whatever senses you are using to further observe it. Simply put, Mindfulness is about "taking time to smell the roses." So smell them—and smell them with attention to detail!
3. Be aware of your mind/body connection. How does your body feel right at this moment? If you're walking, focus on one limb like your foot. How does your foot feel? Can you feel your toes? Do they fell heavy or light?
4. Be aware of your mind. Is it wondering? Am I really focused on the present moment?
5. I highly recommend picking up the audiobook, Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Kabat-Zinn is often considered to be the "Father of Mindfulness" and is a must for anyone looking to learn more about Mindfulness.

Published 09.01.09 at 12:00 AM