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Mindfulness can help reduce stress, heart rate, and blood pressure, while improving sleep, athletic performance, focus and concentration, social connections, and emotional regulation.听Thousands of thoughts bump around in your mind each day. It is easy to get caught up in fears, desires, and dreams for the future, multitasking, avoiding, or checking out. This can lead to a general sense of discomfort as well as physical and emotional distress. When we make a choice to be mindful, we learn what we need to better take care of ourselves and our community.

Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of what is happening in the moment, while meditation usually refers to a formal sitting practice. You do not need anything to practice mindfulness. Simply tune in to your experience of the here and now鈥攖hat is all it takes to be mindful. Use your senses to anchor you to the moment: what can you see, smell, hear, feel, and taste? You can also practice mindfulness in a formal way, for example, through a sitting meditation. A meditation practice usually involves a specific amount of time. Some people enjoy using props such as a meditation cushion, chair, yoga mat, or prayer bench, although these are not necessary to practice. Meditation usually involves using your breath to anchor you in the moment or some variation of focused breathing for a time.

Use your five senses to experience grounding and being in the moment. Pretend you are a scientist discovering something new that no one has heard of yet. Try to notice as many things as you can and describe them in detail. Be objective and watch for times when you might be passing judgment. Simply notice what is. What do you see? What can you smell? What can you hear? Can you taste anything? Can you touch anything and feel the shapes and textures with detail? 听If you find your mind wandering, thank your brain for that detail. You may also say to yourself, "That was a thought,鈥� and make a choice to bring your attention back to the present moment, using your senses to ground you.

This practice employs a guide to walk you through a particular meditation. This can be helpful if you are new to meditation and unsure where to start. Some people prefer guided meditation as they struggle with experiencing their thoughts while meditating. Even with a guide, your mind will likely wander; however, having a friend bring you back to the practice can make the experience more welcoming and less intimidating. Guided meditation offers variety and may help you open to new experiences throughout the process. Try different meditation apps or sign up for a meditation or yoga class to practice this form of meditation.

Find a comfortable position, either sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the ground or cross-legged on a cushion or yoga mat. Some people find a prayer bench more comfortable. While you sit, focus your attention on your inhale and exhale. As your mind wanders, take note and gently guide your attention back to your breath. You may choose to place one hand on your belly and one on your heart, noticing the rise and fall. Simply breathe and bring your attention back to your breath repeatedly. Consider setting a timer for five minutes and building up longer stretches of time. Whatever time you devote to your practice is enough鈥攜ou will experience benefits from just 10 to 15 minutes at a time. To begin, it may be helpful to use a guided meditation teacher or app to practice.

Walk with intention and focus on your steps. You do not need to walk slowly to focus on your steps, but it may be beneficial to start. Walk back and forth along the same path or use a labyrinth as a guide. As you walk, you may want to focus on your breath and count how many steps you take with your inhale and exhale. You may also want to use a mantra or saying that you repeat. "Breathe in peace, breathe out joy" or "breathing in, I am connected to the earth, breathing out, and I am connected to the earth鈥� are examples. Focus on the feel of your feet as you walk, the way your arms sway, and your overall gait and posture. Try walking at different speeds and lengths of time; in different weather; and with bare feet.听

Use a body scan to check in with yourself and become aware of what you are experiencing in your body. Notice what you are physically feeling during the practice. You can start from your head and go down to your toes or vice versa. The idea is to work up or down the body, taking note of how each body part feels. The goal is not to change anything but simply to observe. There are many variations of the body scan. In one variation, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, each muscle group is tightened and then relaxed one at a time to experience the difference between tension and relaxation. Body scan practices can be especially helpful to manage pain and sleep.

With this meditation, you repeat a phrase that is an offering to yourself or someone you care about. Usually, it is suggested that you try to extend this offering to someone you may not be close to or struggling with. It can also be helpful to extend this offering to the larger collective. Visualize who you are giving this offering to as you do. Here is an example: 鈥淢ay I be safe. May I be happy. May I be at peace. May I be well. May (insert loved one) be safe. May they be happy. May they be at peace. May they be well.鈥�

There are many variations of visualization. The idea is to picture something specific in your brain and continue to focus on it as you breathe and meditate on the image. This could be a person you want to wish well, a goal you want to achieve, or a place that brings you calm. Visualizing the flame of a candle or a rose blooming are common practices. Visualization can be helpful to learn to let go of anger, grief, or physical pain. Sometimes visualizing where you are feeling the discomfort and breathing through this space can transform your experience.

This practice involves immersing yourself in nature. It can be viewed as an extension of the walking meditation, using your senses to be fully present as you engage with the space around you. Try walking through a forest or green space and taking note of the colors, smelling the air, and listening to the sounds. You may also wish to lie out a blanket and gaze up at the clouds or the stars. Consider observing a flower as if it were the first time you have ever seen it. Other examples include sitting in a hammock, meditating, doing yoga in nature, observing the fall foliage changing, having a concert in the woods, or swimming in a river or waterfall. Also consider bringing nature to you by tending to plants or practicing the art of bonsai, listening to nature sounds, or experimenting with aromatherapy and essential oils.