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Sample hot fix. Long ago, in what feels like another lifetime, I had a Tuesday night ritual…

After work, I walked up Manhattan’s west side until I reached a nondescript office building. Invariably, a group of people, of all ages and backgrounds, flooded the lobby, waiting to cram into the tiny elevator and ride to the sixth floor. As the doors opened, we slipped off our shoes, stowed our devices, and quietly nodded hello, before taking our places on a cushion for thirty minutes of silence.

Sometimes, it takes the absence of something to recognize its value. (Hello, past twelve months.) Where mindfulness practice used to be a big part of my life, like so many things during the pandemic, I’ve let it slip away just when I need it the most. I miss those moments of simply being present with what is.

So, this week, I spoke with meditation teacher Adreanna Limbach about how to gently incorporate mindfulness into our everyday lives.

First off, what is mindfulness?

At its most basic level, the definition I come back to is one from Jon Kabat-Zinn: “The awareness that arises when we’re paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment.” I love that it parses out the distinction between everyday paying attention and mindfulness practice, which is non-judgment.

How do we put this into practice?

First, it’s important to note there are four foundations of mindfulness:

– The body

– Emotions and feelings

– Mind and thoughts

– Phenomena, meaning the world around u