#WednesdayWisdom

Sachin Sharma
Aug 23, 2017 · 3 min read

5 Mindfulness Hacks For Tuning Into The Now

Mindfulness is the practice of being in the now as much as possible because our bodies are always present, but our minds rarely are. Mindfulness is a great way to begin your spiritual practice because it requires less discipline than meditation and can allow us to clear the mind without having to do anything other than paying attention to the now.

1. Nature — ground yourself. When in nature observe the natural flow of things. There’s no such thing as perfect in nature, no perfect circles, no straight lines — this reminds us to take the pressure off ourselves and allow ourselves to simply be as we are instead of trying to live up to certain standards & expectations.

2. Sounds — hear what’s happening now. Tuning into the now is how we clear the mind of the clutter that is distracting us from living our lives — any time spent outside of the now is wasted because the past is dead & the future hasn’t happened yet. Regardless of where you are or what you’re doing you can close your eyes and tune into the present moment by listening to what’s going on around you (probably not a good idea to do this while you’re driving).

3. Sight — be still & watch your environment. The lifestyles we live can keep us on the go which causes our minds to drift out of the now, being still allows us to take note of what’s happening around us and remind ourselves to be present. Watch the birds flying, water flowing & leaves moving in the breeze and remember that the now is all that exists.

4. Breath — conscious breathing. Short, sharp breathing can activate our fight or flight response — therefore it’s imperative for us to breathe consciously. Take a long inhalation (around 6 seconds), hold it for a few seconds and release for about 8 seconds. When releasing the breath focus on how it makes you feel and release with the intention of inviting relaxation into your body. Breathing in a conscious way keeps our attention in the now because we are focusing on the sensations we feel in the body — in the now.

5. Touch — a physical reminder of where you are. Running your fingers over something that reminds you to be in the now is a great way to tune into the present moment. This could be a crystal, a penny or even a toy of some sort — whatever works for you — the reason this is so powerful is because we’re using one of the senses to ground us in the now. Physical touch is a very powerful sense and can be used at any time, if you’re running feel the sensation of your feet hitting the pavement & if you’re driving focus on how the steering wheel feels.

Time doesn’t exist — the present moment is now and forever.

Peace & positive vibes.

Spoon of Consciousness

Speak, Think, Live: Consciously

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