Living in a busy world full of responsibilities and commitments can send our minds into chaos. Every now and then it’s important to stop, slow down and simplify our schedule, in order to soothe our muddled minds. Here are 10 simple mindfulness practices that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine:
1. Write
Writing can be a powerful tool, especially if done with pen and paper rather than digitally. You can let your thoughts flow out of you and onto the page by starting a gratitude or dream journal, keeping a daily diary, or jotting down your goals. These are all great mindfulness practices. Journaling holds wonderful benefits, and putting your thoughts onto paper can really help to declutter your messy mind. If you are a more visual person, feel free to add any doodles or pictures – whatever inspires you and aids you on your journey to becoming more mindful.
2. Use Mala Beads
Mala beads are used by Buddhists, Hindus and Yogis, and can aid you in reaching a meditative state. In Japa Meditation, you must choose a mantra and repeat it 108 times while touching the beads one at a time. A common mantra for beginners is om shanti shanti shanti (shanti, meaning peace, is repeated 3 times to represent peace in the mind, body and speech). If you aren’t too keen on the traditional mantras, you can choose a modern mantra such as “My mind is calm and I am at peace.”
3. Practice Mudras and Breathing
The Gyan mudra (index finger touching thumb with other fingers outstretched) is recognised by almost everyone, but there is a whole range of mudras available, each symbolising something different. Mudras assist the flow of energy into the body and can offer personal benefits such as improved communication, purified emotions or thoughts and inner peace. Combining a mudra with a light meditation practice and concentrating on your breath can really help to slow your mind and take back control of your thoughts.
4. Focus Your Attention
Whatever you are doing, do just that. Give it your wholehearted, unwavering attention and don’t stray from your chosen task. While reading, take the time to ponder over the words to really absorb the message. When showering, appreciate the warm water gliding over your skin. If you’re catching up with a friend, lose your phone and bring your awareness to your shared laughter. It can be hard to stay fully present, but with a little practice you’ll begin to love the simple things and learn that the grass is greenest wherever you are.
5. Just Be
This is by far the easiest of all the mindfulness practices because you literally have to do nothing. Doing nothing for even a small chunk of your day calms the mind, and is particularly effective for busy people. Decide what doing absolutely nothing looks like for you. Is it stargazing from a grassy bank or lying on your mat for an extra ten minutes after yoga practice? Whatever it is, eliminate all distractions and enjoy taking a moment from your day to not do anything at all.
6. Surround Yourself With Nature
Particularly if you live in a big city, it can be easy to become disconnected from nature. Recharge your batteries and take yourself on a trip to a bewitching forest or an impressive cascade while you swim in the idyllic lake below. Sometimes we don’t realise how much noise has enveloped us until we are away from it. So take an opportunity to turn down the volume and enjoy the quiet.
7. Work Your Brain
Your brain is as much of a muscle as your biceps and should be treated as such, or else you may feel like it’s turning into complete mush. Spending a little time each day putting your brain to good use will help to keep you clear-headed. So whether you would prefer to learn a language, dabble in some sudoku puzzles or play a few rounds of chess, your brain will certainly thank you for giving it a much needed workout.
8. Lose Track of Time
In everyday life, it’s so difficult to get away from the concept of time. And that’s exactly what it is – a concept. So why do we let these big faces and their two little hands control so much of our lives? The world we live in doesn’t allow us to escape time completely (I’m sure your boss wouldn’t be too happy if your reason for being late was that an article you read online told you to lose track of time), but we don’t have to force ourselves to constantly be ruled by a monotonous ticking sound. When you have a day where you don’t have to be anywhere, forget the clock and remind yourself that the time is now.
9. Do What You Love
Everybody has a passion in life. Whether it’s painting in the nude, decluttering or playing in The Vegetable Orchestra, do whatever makes your soul shine. And there’s no better way to put tip number 8 into practice than losing a few hours of your day to something you love.
10. Sigil Magic
Sigil magic may be a new concept for some and laughable to others, but many people credit sigils as a powerful influence in their lives. Sigils can be used to help you deal with an issue you have been facing. If you have been wanting to become more mindful for example, write a sentence such as I AM MINDFUL. Then take out all the vowels and recurring letters in the sentence, which leaves MNDFL. Finally, you must form the remaining letters into one symbol, charge your sigil and then discard it. Even if you don’t necessarily believe in sigil magic, this is a fun way to symbolically free your mind from something that was previously weighing it down.
