When was the last time you sat down, dropped everything and did nothing? In our hustle culture obsessed with productivity, slowing down and simply being, rather than doing, can almost seem like a provocative act. We have transitioned from human beings to human doings, rushing through our day on autopilot (System 1) and lost in thought (Default Mode Network). Interrupting ourselves with our phones and overconsuming information are among the many ways we distract ourselves from our own lives. We fail to notice and appreciate what’s already present here and now, and miss opportunities for awe and connection. The uncomfortable feeling most of us have of time flying by is a consequence of this. If we want to experience the full richness of our own lives, we have to slow down and cultivate greater awareness. Which, whether we like it or not, leads us to mindfulness and meditation.

How do you react when you hear the words mindfulness and meditation? What does your mind say? Chances are you might frown, laugh or shake your head. Mindfulness and meditation are widely misunderstood; one common misconception is that they’re superstitious practices. Yes, it can be done in a religious and spiritual context, but it can also be approached through a scientific lens. Since we have not been able to locate our awareness in the brain, or anywhere else for that matter, conscious awareness can only be experienced directly. This leaves room for beliefs and assumptions. Luckily for those of us coming from an ateist science and engineering background, mindfulness meditation does not require us to believe in something that can’t be proven. You just have to be willing to try and see for yourself.

Definitions and understanding

So what am I talking about? Let’s clear up some of the jargon (or skip this part if you find it too technical or boring). There are many definitions out there. I am by no means an expert, but this is how I understand the different concepts. Feel free to disagree and challenge them.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of non-judgmental awareness of our present moment experience. We approach our experience with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to be with what is (paraphrased from UCLA). Mindfulness can be practiced in any activity throughout our waking day. It’s a continuous practice and a way of being in the world. Mindfulness is not something you add to your life. It’s something you stop doing, like being less on autopilot and lost in thoughts.

Meditation

Meditation, also called mindfulness meditation, is the formal practice of mindfulness. It is typically where you sit down, close your eyes, let everything be as it is, and pay attention for a given period of time. It can be guided by a voice or done in silence. Your attention can be narrowly focused on an object, like the breath, or awareness can be open and spacious, taking in the whole range of sensations, like sounds, touch, smell, temperature, bodily sensations and thoughts.

When you practice non-dual awareness, you become aware of awareness itself. Your sense of self, your ego, a construction of the mind, drops away. What’s left is consciousness and its content. I find non-dual awareness to be the most challenging, mysterious and exciting form of meditation.

Awareness

Awareness is the perception or knowledge of something, like thoughts and objects. Awareness is the content of consciousness. To know that someone is consciously aware, we rely on their ability to report on their experience. Conditions like the locked-in syndrome demonstrate that we cannot know from outside observation whether anyone is consciously aware. When you are on autopilot, you are unconsciously aware.

Consciousness

From Lights On: Consciousness is the fact of felt experience. It’s a feeling or sensation, as distinguished from perception or thought. Consciousness does not require complex thoughts or brain processing (though not everyone agrees). It must be felt from the inside, that’s why it is so hard to study. American Philosopher Thomas Nagle said that for an organism to be conscious, it has to be something that it is like to be that organism. When you are in deep sleep, you are conscious without awareness.

Mindfulness or meditation is not

• A calming and relaxation technique, although it has shown to reduce stress
• A religious practice, although it is at the core of Buddhism and other religions
• An escape
• Controlling or getting rid of thoughts
• Positive thinking
• A silver bullet to all your problems
• Without risks

⚠️ Meditation is not for everyone. For some people with mental illnesses, it might even be harmful. Seek professional advice if you are in doubt. Practicing non-dual mindfulness can also feel destabilizing when the ego drops away. There are some prerequisites for dealing with unpleasant experiences, such as non-judgment and self-compassion. It can be helpful to find a local or online community where you can discuss questions and challenges along the way.

Why meditate

Several studies have shown that regular meditation changes the physical structure of the brain through neuroplasticity (!). The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus increase, the amygdala decreases, and brainwave patterns change. You are less in the default mode network. Based on this, we can see a whole range of positive effects on our health and well-being.

These are some of the most compelling reasons for me to meditate:

• To improve my facilitation and coaching skills
• To improve attention
• To strengthen the observing self
• To create space between my thoughts and actions
• To see my thoughts more clearly, hold them more lightly and not identify with them
• To cultivate the capacity to be mindful in relationships and day-to-day experiences
• To cultivate greater awareness required for making conscious decisions, inhibit impulsivity and change habits
• To cultivate easier access to flow state
• To cultivate greater psychological flexibility
• Improve emotion regulation
• Cultivate emotional intelligence
• To meet pain and let go of suffering
• To practice self-compassion
• To slow down my perception of time

In the end, all you have is your mind. So why not give it your full attention?

How to get started

If you have read this far and are not already practicing mindfulness or meditation, here are my general tips for getting started.

Meditation

To try meditation, the easiest way is to download an app or search for sound clips online. There are many variations: different voices, with or without sound, some not really meditation but rather relaxation techniques. Experiment with what resonates with you. My recommendation is to find a teacher with experience teaching directly with students in person, not just online. I find that many online teachers don’t have the same sense of how their instructions might land and how long the silence should be. If you want a science-based approach with some great Buddhist teachers, I recommend The Waking Up app, which I have been using for the last six years. Headspace might be the more popular, mainstream choice, and an easy place to start. I find it focuses more on relaxation and adding pleasure to your experience rather than undoing and cultivating clarity.

The simplest way to try meditation is to try something like this, preferably alone or in a place where you won’t be interrupted. Set an alarm for 5 minutes or as long as you like.

1. Find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Let your body come to a rest. Let everything be as it is. Close your eyes.
2. Become aware of the sensation of breathing.
3. Count your out-breaths.
4. Once you notice that you have been distracted by thoughts (unless you are a meditator guru, we all get distracted by thoughts – that’s what our brains do), simply bring your attention back to the breath, and start counting again from one. The practice is to notice and return to your present sensations again and again, not to get rid of thoughts.
5. Once the alarm goes off, take notice of how you feel in your body. How was your mind?

Practicing mindfulness meditation is like going to the gym: you have to continuously work on it. Be realistic about your expectations, start small and approach it with a beginner’s mind.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is easier to integrate into a busy life because you don’t have to allocate time for sitting still. You can simply decide on what activities you want to do mindfully. Activities can include brushing your teeth, showering, drinking coffee or tea, making dinner, doing the dishes and eating. Do one activity at a time, and give it your full attention. be curious and use all your senses. Some people also like to have a reminder on their phone that goes off at any time during the day, prompting them to pause and take stock of how their mind is and how they feel in the body.

An efficient gateway to mindfulness is your senses. Take a walk in your neighbourhood, and identify the sounds that represent the area. Or take a walk in the city center, focusing on smells. Life in 5 senses has inspired me to become more aware of the senses I normally overlook.

What do you take away from this? Do you have a clearer sense of what mindfulness meditation is, or are you more confused? Are you motivated to try for yourself? Feel free to comment any thoughts, questions or feedback!