Let your mind be full with what you are doing as you do it, all day long. This takes practice.

Mindfulness is attentional training, as it helps you to be more engaged in this moment and this place. Mindfulness is a deliberate way of paying attention on purpose. The quality of your attention ideally will be a gentle, non-judgmental attention, as you engage with what you are doing as you are doing it. It’s a simple practice of anchoring your attention from thoughts of the past or the future or distractions of any kind, into the present moment. Mindfulness doesn’t include forgetting about the past or ignoring the future, it’s more about bringing a balance into what you pay attention to, allotting the majority of your attention to the present moment, to the life you are living in this moment, right now.

Your life is happening now. Here and now.  You’re not breathing in the past or the future, you’re breathing now. You don’t feel sensations in your body in the past or future, you feel them now. Emotions too. And any spiritual connection is experienced in the present moment.  The future and the past, they don’t really exist except in your mind. Mindfulness is recognizing that.

Mindfulness can be practiced formally as a meditation, and can also be practiced while you are engaged in activity, at any time in almost any situation. You can be mindful of the sensations in your feet while walking, or the feeling of warm soapy water on your hands while doing dishes, or being mindful of the sensations of breathing.  To be mindful you simply notice all sensations – and when the mind’s usual judgments and continual commentary arises and takes over the experience, return your attention to what you are actually experiencing, rather than  your thoughts about it. Mindfulness trains your mind to stay right here, and focus on the present moment.

This moment is the only real thing. Tomorrow, at this point, is an idea.

Have you ever sat down to lunch only to talk about what will be happening for dinner? Or, have you ever sat down to eat a meal and suddenly looked down and your food was gone, but you didn’t remember eating the whole thing? That is mindlessness. Mindfulness is the opposite of mindlessness.

When you eat without awareness, you may, in theory, know you are eating, but your mind might be somewhere else. You might be thinking about other things, or watching TV, talking, or reading – or all of those.  So a very small part of your awareness is absorbed with eating. Perhaps you are only barely aware of the physical sensations and tastes, and even less aware of your thoughts and emotions. You can even miss the whole experience. And the same can be true for any activity you are engaged in. Tomorrow will arrive and be experienced in the here and now. When? Now. Where? Here.

Let’s look at the practice of eating mindfully.

You can practice eating mindfully at your next meal. Or, as you snack on a peach, a piece of chocolate, or even a raisin.  Kids love to do this too! Eating can be a magical, alchemical experience as your body turns the world “out there” into your skin, bones, organs, and the tissues of your body.

First, turn off your phone, music, and television. Don’t read while eating mindfully, either.

• Explore this moment of communion as you eat.
• When you are ready to practice, sit down comfortably with the food in front of you on  a plate or napkin.
• Deliberately notice the way your body is positioned, the sensations in your body, and the mind and body’s responses to those sensations.
• Relax your body and breathe normally, don’t hold your breath.
• Behold the food you will eat.
• It seems we eat with our eyes first. Look at the food, notice the texture, the shadow, the light, the shape, the reflection of light, its colors.
• Resist the urge to label anything, simply pay attention to what you sense on rather than your ideas or judgments about it.
• Pick it up and hold it in your hand, notice its temperature,  texture, and weight.
• Before you take your first bite and notice all the sensations in your body.
• As you mindfully bring the food up toward your mouth, notice the aroma. What do you smell? Notice what happens in your mouth. Does it have an effect on your taste buds? Your saliva?
• When you feel ready, take a small bite of food. Chew, but resist the urge to swallow right away.
• Really taste the food.  Experience the tastes rather than label them.
• Hear the food as you chew. Notice the texture in your mouth.
• If your mind wanders, purposefully and gently bring your attention back to the mindful eating practice. Do not judge yourself.
• Continue eating in this way until you are finished, be fully engaged in eating while you eat.
• When you are through, sit quietly for a few minutes. Notice how you feel. Are you satisfied?
• What if you ate one bite of your meal like this, every meal?  (Studies show that people tend to eat more when they are given larger portions and are distracted.)

Now who wouldn’t want that?

Be guided into mindful eating and 20 other meditation and meditative practices in Sarah’s best selling book: Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation.