Mindfulness, called Full Attention in Portuguese, are techniques that aim to concentrate the mind in the present moment, without focusing attention on the past or on concerns about the future.
With this, this technique tries to combat the state of inattention and excessive reactions of the current lifestyle, also helping in the treatment of diseases such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and drug addiction.
How to make
To start the practice, you should set aside a period of time per day, which can be 5 to 30 minutes, in a quiet, quiet and comfortable place, with your eyes open or closed.
The mind's attention, then, must turn to breathing, the main method of mindfulness, following the steps:
- Sit or lie down comfortably and bring attention to your breath, without changing your breathing rhythm; Feel the air entering your nostrils or the movement of your abdomen up and down with the air entering and leaving the air; Try not to think about anything else breathing and sensations in the body caused by it, living only in the present moment; if any feeling or concern arises, let it pass without focusing on it, judging or making plans; near the end of the session, you should focus again on the sensations of the body and the well-being of the empty mind, and slowly finish the practice.
In order not to worry about the time of concentration, you can set an alarm clock to ring softly or vibrate, warning that the time is over without scaring the mind.
See more ways to practice Mindfulness .
Health Benefits
Regular practice of mindfulness for at least 20 minutes a day brings health benefits by bringing emotional balance and well-being, helping to reduce anxiety and depression, better control blood pressure, strengthen the immune system and decrease inflammation in the body.
In addition, the practice also improves memory and the ability to concentrate, in addition to providing inner peace and greater mental balance to face everyday challenges.
Tips for beginners
For beginners, mindfulness practice should start with short periods of meditation time, practicing 5 minutes a day at the beginning and increasing the time progressively as the mind gets used to the state of concentration.
In the beginning, the eyes may be open, but they should be relaxed, without focusing on something specific and without visual distractions in the meditation environment, such as televisions, animals or people moving.
Looking for group meditation centers, help with teachers or starting the practice with guided meditation videos on the internet are good options to help develop the technique more easily.
To help relax and clear your mind, see 7 Tips to Control Anxiety.
