July 2020

Anyone can meditate and everyone should. With the many stresses we face today, there’s never been a better time to take up meditation. The health benefits have been well documented, there’s no equipment to buy, and even just one minute at a time can deliver results.

This meditation is all about mindfulness. We tend to spend a lot of time thinking about things that have already happened or will be happening. Mindfulness is about focusing your attention on each moment as it happens. Any time you find your mind constantly jumping from one thought to another, use this meditation to focus on the present moment and give your mind a little vacation.

The 1-Minute Meditation

• If it helps, set a timer on your phone (with a gentle alert) so you don’t need to think about whether a minute has passed.
• You can sit or stand.
• If you keep your eyes open, try to not to look around at different things. Just keep a soft focus on a single object.
• As you breathe in, adjust your body to an upright position. A posture that allows you to take a deep breath without even trying is what you’re striving for.
• Don’t try to control your breath, but focus on it. Long breaths, short ones, deep ones and shallow ones – they’re all just fine and they’re the only thing you should think about.
• If a different thought pops into your head, acknowledge it and then return your focus to your breath. It’s perfectly natural to have thoughts interrupt. Just don’t be critical of yourself and return your focus to your breathing.
• Keep it up for a full minute. If you find yourself wishing you go meditate longer and have the time, go right ahead.

If you’re wondering why you focus on your breath, it’s to give your mind a break from all those other thoughts that keep it buzzing. After all, how often do you think about your breath? It also helps keep you in the present moment. If you try this technique and find it useful, you can learn about a wide variety of other meditation practices here