Saturday, November 16, 2024
37.0°F

Prioritize life with mindfulness meditation

Judd Jones | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 12 years, 8 months AGO
by Judd Jones
| March 17, 2012 9:00 PM

This week, I would like to touch on the use of mindfulness meditation to help you meet your fitness goals. We all, for the most part, live busy and in some cases, hectic lives. I hear from so many people that say between career, children and family life, there is very little time for fitness.

One of the ways I have found to center myself and slow down the unnecessary busy in my life is to practice mindfulness meditation. It is amazing how just taking a few minutes each day to clear your head and get focused on what is really important helps you sort out your time and get everything done in a busy day. One of the areas at the top of the list is exercise and fitness.

Practicing mindfulness is a form of meditation that allows your mind to be in the present moment. To be mindful is to be aware of your thoughts and actions in the here and now. Mindfulness is a wonderful way to be totally aware of each and every experience you have. Many different athletes and fitness professionals use the practice of mindful thought. The obvious is yoga, but the practice has spread to runners, strength training and multisport fitness folks as will.

The idea is to settle your mind into the moment, being aware of your movement, energy and presence in any given situation. One great book that addresses this very well is "Chi Running" by Danny Dreyer. Another great author for learning how to breathe and stay focused in the moment is Thich Nhat Hanh.

This concept of being mindful and in the moment is not new nor an exclusive to eastern philosophy. If you think back to any great sport or fitness coach that you or your kids may have worked with or played for, he or she would always say things like "stay focused, feel yourself winning, feel the track as you run" etc...

Now, how to get started with mindfulness meditation:

1. To practice, place yourself in a quiet and comfortable space you can be undisturbed. Sit quietly in a chair or on the floor with your body in good postural alignment, sitting straight but relaxed and not stiff.

2. Put everything out of your mind. Just concentrate on the act of breathing in and out, nothing else.

3. Keep close attention to the way each breath enters and exists your body. Stay absolutely focused on each breath. Do not think of anything else.

This is the basic starting point for mindfulness meditation. The next steps are to clear your mind and focus on breathing and in the case of running or walking, focus on your feet touching the ground. This will lead to a better understanding of how you move. As you become more aware of your movement, you can correct or improve the efficiency of your actions. This then leads to better performance, less stress on both mind and body and a much more enjoyable sport or fitness activity.

I for one believe that being in the moment, focused and relaxed is the only way to approach fitness and an active lifestyle. I think you will be amazed at how much easier workouts and runs become when you clear your head and find yourself in the moment.

Judd Jones is the regional production director with Hagadone Newspapers. He can be reached at jjones@cdapress.com.

ARTICLES BY