getting started
You are wondering how a mind gym workout differs from an actual fitness gym. Compiled here are common questions when your starting mindfulness training.
getting started on mindfulness
Q: What do I wear? What equipment do I set up?
A: As a mind gym, all the equipment that you need is in your head.
Clothing: Ensure that your attire is loose and comfortable. If feeling cold, have a blanket or shawl on hand.
Seating: Sit at your favourite chair, or lie down on the bed or yoga mat. There are no fixed postures to force into. As you progress, you may also enjoy doing this while standing or walking!
Location: Find a place to practice where you will be undisturbed. Like learning to sail a boat, it is easier to practice in the calm waters of a lagoon than being out in the open choppy seas.
Extras: If possible, don’t fuss about a special type of meditation cushion, lighting candles or incense in the room, wanting total silence, etc. Your intention is to habituate the mind to be in the moment.
Q: How long and how often should I practice mindfulness?
A: For a start, try a mindfulness exercise for 3 to 10 minutes. It should be long enough to feel like you are having a mental workout. This is what we call your formal practice. Use the timer app on your smartphone to monitor time. Sustain such formal training once or twice a day. Like brushing your teeth, it shouldn’t feel like it’s one more thing to do.
You can support with informal practices as many times as you can remember in a day. For example, paying attention to your breath while commuting to an appointment, waiting in a queue or before starting on the next task. There are so many opportunities to purposely strengthen attention and openness through impromptu practices.
Q: Can I incorporate mindfulness into my physical exercise routine?
A: Introduce mindfulness into your workout by focusing on sensations from your skin and muscles. Notice your surroundings. Be aware when unrelated thoughts show up, and gently return your attention back to your fitness efforts.
Mindfulness is formally practised in stillness. This settles the nervous system. In contrast, as we physically exercise, our sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight mode) activates. Heart rate increases to deliver oxygen and glucose all around our body. Can you notice these changes?
Q: Can I use apps or videos for the guided instructions and calming music?
A: There is a varying degree of quality among the meditation apps and instructional videos available. Leverage suitable technology to support your effort for regular practices. However, treat them as tools to progress your training, rather than being dependent on them.
If you don’t have your device with you, can you still have a mental workout? Instead of soothing music and guided instructions, are you able to simply observe what naturally emerges from your body and mind?
Q: What other techniques can I learn besides paying attention to my breathing?
A: Some students may find it a struggle to observe his/her own breathing. Some can feel dizzy or light-headed, while a handful will simply hate it.
The primary objective of any mindfulness technique is to strengthen our ability to sustain attention. The breath is simply used as an object of focus. Other objects of focus could be our body, or even a lit candle in front of us.
Seek a teacher to identify a suitable technique.
Q: I wish to learn more. Where are your mindfulness classes held?
A: Complement your curiosity by attending a group class, arrange for a private session, or plan for a corporate workshop. Experience it for yourself. Use the group session to learn from others and to seek clarification.
Q: How do you conduct your online mindfulness sessions?
A: I use Zoom or any online meeting tool that you prefer. Google Hangout, WhatsApp, Cisco Webex, Microsoft Team Meeting, Skype – to name a few that clients have arranged for. A video connection is preferred so that we can have visual feedback.
Just like any online meetings, embrace common challenges such as:
- distortion/disruption to video and/or audio signals
- background noise or notification beeps from the app
- actual distractions or interruptions wherever you are
Q: When is a good time to practice mindfulness?
A: Intentional training, which means setting aside time to practice, can be done anytime during your day. Identify such a regular gap in your daily schedule when you won’t feel hurried or harried. Many students incorporate this at the start or end of their day.
However this shouldn’t feel like it is one more thing to add to your calendar. Instead, think of it as taking a mental “shower”.
Q: It’s just paying attention, correct? How hard can it get?
A: If you know how to ride a bicycle or swim, you can relate with this.
When your first started out, there was an initial mix of excitement and anxiety. After putting in the effort, you became more familiar with the techniques. The effort became easier.
This acquired skill (whether it is riding a bicycle or practising mindfulness) never quite leaves you. When you need to hunker down and complete a project, or when you feel overwhelmed emotionally, the ability to anchor within yourself is always accessible to you.
Q: What is an effective approach to learn mindfulness?
A: Find a good teacher and join the classes to learn the basic techniques. Then practice, practice, practice. Having an accessible teacher is useful to seek answers and clarifications, and for some, to be accountable to.
There are also options for self-study. The Internet has volumes of well-meaning but disorganised content, including videos. Mobile apps like Headspace and Insight Timer offer fixed guided instructions. There are many books and magazines on the topic.
experience mindfulness for yourself.
startnow