How to Bring Mindfulness Breathing Meditation into Daily Routine?

Mindfulness and breathing are intimately related. Breathe is taken for granted. It is hardly an activity of body we ever paid attention to. You might not have noticed what a powerful tool your breath can be in attaining and maintaining wellness and higher states of consciousness. Now, slowly, the importance of this activity is being realized globally as people are discovering the multiple advantages of this activity when taken as a precursor to be initiated into meditation or as an exercise (pranayama).

Read more: Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation- Physical, Mental & Emotional

Normal Breathing for Mindfulness Meditation

The practice of mindfulness meditation can be initiated by following certain well-defined steps-

1. Choose a place of solitude where there are no distractions by anyone. With respect to time, it can be done anytime during the day. It is also not important that you have to follow the same time table every day. The best time is the one when there is little or no distraction. Preferably, the early morning time when everyone is asleep and there is no or little noise of traffic etc. is an ideal time to practice this meditation.
2. You are required to sit comfortably. It is not of significance that you sit in a particular posture. You are just required to sit comfortably in a position where you can sit for some time, say 30 minutes.
3. Close your eyes. Eyes, when open, are one more diversion apart from the thoughts. It also helps in remaining focused.
4. You have to draw your attention to your breath and try to focus on it. It is good to breath normally through the nostrils.
5. Remain focused on every inhale and exhale. Just watch how air is being drawn inside the nostrils, how nostrils are expanding while inhaling, how your belly and lungs expand and then how the breath goes out, your belly, lungs and nostrils contract.
6. Feel the breath through all its journey.
7. Slowly, you will feel that the heart rate is slowing and you are having a blissful and joyous experience and the tension on forehead and behind the ear temple goes away.
8. If any thoughts are crossing the mind, there is no need to resist these, just be awake to the fact that these are distractions and bring back the mind to breath. You do not have to be judgmental about these because by being judgmental you will be drawn into these.

Read more: Mindfulness can restrain restless thinking

Mindfulness Meditation and Anuloma-Viloma Pranayama

You can even practice mindfulness meditation not just with normal breathing but also along with breathing exercises of pranayama, particularly alternate nostril breathing. You have to keep all steps given above just as these are. While sitting, you are required to keep the spine straight so that maximum volume of inhale and exhale can happen. Further, while inhaling and exhaling, while the focus has to remain on breath, you have to take breathing to deep levels. While inhaling you shall feel the expansion of belly right till navel and while exhaling this can be done right till the point that contraction is no longer possible.

All through the pranayama exercise, the focus has to remain on what you are doing with the breath and how the body is behaving in response to it.

Mindfulness meditation in Daily Routine

After doing mindfulness practice as mentioned above for a few months, it can be extended to daily routines. Mindfulness meditation is all about focusing on present by bringing your attention to the work you are doing. During the course of meditation, if thoughts come, you do not begin to be drawn in by these but allow these to pass by or, working opposite, bring the attention back to the work. You become aware of this fact that this is a ‘thought’ and a ‘distraction’ and have to come back to your work. Slowly it will reach a stage when there are no diversions and you remain in the meditative state while doing your work.

Read more: Being mindful can help increase will–power