A basic and easy way to begin practicing mindfulness is to learn mindful breathing. Thich Nhat Hanh (1) calls it both a bridge between the mind and body and a tool to prevent mental “dispersion,” a state characterized by the inability to concentrate on the matter at hand due to distractions from the interior landscape of thought.
The Mayo Clinic has a very useful guide for understanding the different types of meditation, of which mindfulness is one, and offers many useful tips (2).
Although some people will find that they prefer to read about meditation and then explore the practice on their own, others find that it is helpful to have an audio or video guide. The UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center has an online guide with audio files as well as a podcast channel to help new practitioners find their way (3).
Moreover mindful breathing is a free form of therapy that can happen anywhere. A key component is to find some uninterrupted time. As the Washington Post (4) reports, some people have found commuting to work to be the ideal time to practice this technique. As explained in the article:
During periods of stress, breathing becomes shallower, causing the blood pressure to rise. You may become more alert, but you don’t want to stay on edge all the way from L’Enfant Plaza to Manassas. Deep, controlled, abdominal breathing lowers the blood pressure and stimulates the release of stress-fighting endorphins.
“Breathing has been life-transforming for me,” says Roy. “It is the cheapest, most efficient way of coming into the present moment. Stress-reduction clinics use this as the foundation for getting in touch with what’s happening in the body.” She recommends that drivers periodically practice deep breathing while checking for stress and tightness in the body, “from your toe on the accelerator to your fingers on the steering wheel.”
The quote is from author Denise Roy who wrote a book (5), about her experiences.
Sources
(1) Hanh TN. The miracle of mindfulness: A manual on Meditation. Boston: Beacon Press; 1979 [English translation 1987].
(2) Mayo Clinic (US). Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. [Internet]. Rochester, MN (US): Mayo Clinic; 2014 [cited 2015 Feb 9]. Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858?pg=1
(3) The UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (US). Free guided meditations. [Internet]. Los Angeles, CA (US): UCLA Health; 2014 [cited 2015 Feb 9]. Available from: http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22
(4) Frase-Blunt M. Buddha on the Road; Can Your Daily Commute Be the Route to Enlightenment? The Washington Post [Internet] 2003 Jun 24 [cited 2015, Feb 9]; Health Tab: [about 4 screens]. Available from http://search.proquest.com/professional
(5) Roy D. My Monastery Is a Minivan: Where the Daily Is Divine and the Routine Becomes Prayer. Chicago: Loyola Press; 2001.