We do not need to give up wordly life to be mindful, says Namita Piparaiya suggesting ways to consciously incorporate it

We often get so caught up in our daily lives that we forget to slow down and live in the present moment. Mindfulness can be as simple as observing our breath… it can be as effortless as taking a few moments to look around and notice trivial details about our surroundings. Mindfulness is also in eating slowly, in walking with full attention, it can also be experienced in doing only one thing at a time. So, you see, mindfulness is not something esoteric for which we need to give up our worldly life. Instead, it deserves to be an integral part of our modern lives, because it helps improve our productivity and quality of life.

Here are simple techniques in which we can build our mindfulness practise for better stress management, and good health:

Meditation

Find a spot in your house, preferably where there isn’t much clutter to start your practise. You can even sit outdoors in nature, with little or no distraction. Take a few deep breaths and with each exhalation, gently relax your body. Now choose an object of meditation, such as your breath, a flower, a deity or anything that appeals to you. With each breath, practise maintaining your focus on your chosen object. It’s natural for the mind to drift, and each time it does so, bring it back to your chosen object. You can spend up to 20-30 minutes in meditation at a time. The key is to keep it effortless and not try too hard to keep your attention. Regular practise can increase your concentration and it is also a powerful stress reliever.

Mindful walking

One can practise mindful walking anywhere and everywhere, be it in the garden, around the house, on the beach, or any place of your preference. Firstly, feel the ground beneath you and focus on each step. Be mindful of the grounding sensation your feet have while they move on the surface. Try to notice every sound around you, whether it’s of the flowing wind, birds chirping or the trees swaying. Feel the breeze against your hair and skin, while being conscious of every sensation. Gently breathe in and breathe out, and feel the fresh air. This can be a great start to the day or one can even practise this by just taking a break amidst their busy schedule.

Practise Yoga

Practising Yoga is an incredible activity to slow down your pace and take time to focus on your body movements and breathing. Adding Yoga into your daily routine helps create a stronger connection between the mind and body. One can take a short 10-15 minutes break and do some light moving and stretching to improve their quality of life. When the goal is improving mindfulness, your practise should be slow with stretches held for a longer period with full breath awareness.

Pranayama

Choose any one pranayama practise and do it consistently — equal breathing and alternate nostril breathing are both very good techniques suitable for most people. Conscious and deep breathing benefits an individual both physically and mentally. This practise will keep you energised throughout the day and stimulate feel-good thoughts in your mind, helping you in calming stress and anxiety.

Mindfulness practises are extremely helpful in both maintaining and managing your physical and mental health. The simplest way is to turn oneself into a keen observer of the surroundings and the events around us. And then you can progress into activities like pranayama, Yoga and meditation.

(The author is the founder of Yoganama and a Yoga and Ayurveda lifestyle specialist.)