Frequently Asked Questions about Mindfulness Meditation

This is how I describe experiencing mindfulness meditation.  It allows one to focus on what you are experiencing during the moment-to-moment awareness of your breath, thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and surrounding environment. This is done through a compassionate, curious, kind, and non-judging lens.  The more we practice, the easier it becomes to open to and be accepting of life as it constantly changes and unfolds. 

“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.”  Jon Kabat Zinn

Jon Kabat Zinn is often considered one of the grandfathers of  bringing Mindfulness meditation to the Western world (along with the late Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh.) 

Yes! And you can practice wherever you are.  Mindfulness meditation is not just meant for those times you are sitting quietly.  This can be a lovely way to practice, but with time we begin to notice each moment of our day, each breath brings us a new opportunity to bring mindfulness into our lives, and the more we do this, the more our everyday life experiences are enhanced and enriched. 

No.  Meditation can be practiced wherever you are - in a quiet space, on a walk, during the work day, caring for loved ones, or at an airport.  Mindfulness meditation is meant to be brought into your life as much as possible.  The more you practice, the more you will notice mindfulness is gently weaving its way into your daily life experiences. Life will still have issues and stresses, but you will begin to respond in a way that is more supportive of you and those around you. 

We focus on within to help us become aware of: What we are feeling. To increase awareness of arising emotions and thoughts and to notice what our body is trying to share with us through the different sensations we may notice. 

We focus on what is externally around us by tapping into our senses.  Being more aware of our surroundings helps us come into the moment we are experiencing. When we do this, it helps to ground us and decreases our human tendency to be either ruminating about the past or focused on the future. 

Yes. A 2010 Harvard study identified that 47% of the average person's time is spent on auto-pilot. Yikes, we aren’t paying attention or fully engaged with what is right in front of us for almost half of our waking hours!  And of note, when this study was conducted, only 20% of the American population had smartphones.  In 2023 that number jumped to almost 82%. So if a new study was done today, I venture to say, sadly, the percentage of time on autopilot would probably be much higher.

As we practice over time, bringing compassionate, non-judging, and curious inquiry to all we notice becomes easier. It helps us be more fully open to whatever might unfold in our lives, from the joyful to what we deem ‘ordinary’ to the most difficult and challenging moments we may encounter.

In learning and practicing Mindfulness, we begin to notice subtle changes in ourselves and a growing sense of awareness and understanding that ultimately changes how we feel about ourselves, others, and our world. 

 It helps to enhance and enrich everyday experiences.

Building skills to manage stress

Increases clarity and focus

Offers pockets of stillness amid all the outer chaos

Improve sleep quality

Increase patience and tolerance

Stabilize blood pressure and decrease heart rate

Increase creativity

Changes how you relate to, react to, and view the circumstances around you.

Change how we relate to ourselves, others, and the world.

Numerous clinical trials and scientific research support the benefits of meditation.  Many respected hospitals now have meditation programs for patients and staff. Meditation can be effective for various conditions, including:

• Stress
• Anxiety
• Pain
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Tension Headaches
• High Blood pressure 
• Asthma
• Cancer 
• Heart disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome

The only way to practice meditation is in a comfortable position. One that works for YOU!  You can practice meditation while sitting, lying down, standing, walking, or in any other daily activity you are partaking in. You want to keep your spine as aligned as possible, but this will depend on your personal body alignment.  Remember, meditation is for everyone!  Do not let mobility issues keep you from benefitting from meditation.  You do not need to be a yogi; very few of us are. 

 If you are new to meditation, a quiet spot with few distractions, including no television, music, the chatter of others, or cell phones, can be very helpful. Almost all of us can find at least twelve minutes a day to create a little oasis of quiet, and you deserve that! 

As you become more comfortable and your mind and body find it easier to settle into meditation, it becomes easier to practice anywhere.  This is when mindfulness meditation begins to subtly support us in all aspects of life.  We can bring it into those little everyday annoyances, long lines at the grocery store, getting stuck in traffic, or your little one spilling something on your favorite blouse.  And to the more high-stress situations, a challenging day on the job, the diagnosis of an illness, a sadness from a calamity happening in our world. Mindfulness meditation is there to help you open to whatever is happening in the moment. 

 Intention - Choosing to cultivate your awareness and be in the present moment.

Attention - To the present moment.  We focus on our breath and body and become aware of sensations, thoughts, and feelings. Our attention may also be to the external surroundings, using our senses to notice.

Attitude - Being kind, compassionate, curious, and non-judgmental to that which you are observing and experiencing.

What can I expect a Mindfulness Meditation Class to focus on?