The Mindful Minute: A Simple Practice That Changed My Life
- ✨Kena 🌻
- Jun 19
- 3 min read
Many moons ago, I felt called to awaken my spiritual side. One of the first books I purchased was Awakening the Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das.
The book shares Tibetan wisdom for the Western world and introduces the Buddhist path to enlightenment.
If you are looking to broaden your horizons and explore Buddhism, I highly recommend it.
Reading that book was the first time I seriously thought about meditation. I was probably in my late thirties, and while I don't remember every detail from the book, there are two lessons that have stayed with me ever since.
The first was the importance of our breath. Our breath sustains life. Without it, there is no life. Such a simple truth, yet one we often take for granted.
The second lesson was that meditation does not always require sitting cross-legged on a cushion in complete silence. Lama Surya Das explained that you can meditate while standing in a grocery store lineup. Those moments when you simply stop and become present are a form of meditation.
After reading the book, I was determined to learn how to meditate. I tried many times. I would sit quietly, close my eyes, and immediately begin thinking.
"I'm still thinking."
"When is this timer going to go off?"
"This can't be meditation!"
I became convinced I was doing it wrong.
Then, about five years ago, everything changed.
I joined a spiritual development group led by Cheryl Brewster of The Intuitive Life. During one of our sessions, Cheryl gave us a simple assignment.
"This week," she said, "I want you to practice the Mindful Minute."
I remember thinking, "A whole minute? Easy peasy. I can absolutely stop thinking for sixty seconds."
Well, that wasn't exactly how it went.
Our instructions were simple. Set a timer to remind yourself every hour. When it went off, stop what you were doing, find a quiet place if possible, and spend one minute simply being present.
If your mind wandered, bring your attention back to your breath.
Inhale deeply into your belly for a count of four.
Exhale slowly for a count of eight.
Repeat.
That's it.
And something magical happened.
The more I practiced, the more connected I became to myself. Or perhaps more accurately, I became connected to my soul.
I call my soul "Opal."
Since meeting Opal, life has changed. When I am struggling with a decision, feeling uncertain, or working through something with my counselor, one of us will often ask, "What would Opal say?"
The answer usually arrives immediately.
Not because it comes from my logical mind, but because it comes from a deeper place within me.
Your soul always knows the answer.
The challenge is that most of us are moving too fast to hear it.
The Mindful Minute taught me how to slow down long enough to listen.
If you've ever thought, "I can't meditate," or "My mind is too busy," I encourage you to try the Mindful Minute.
One minute.
One breath at a time.
One opportunity to reconnect with yourself.
You may discover, as I did, that peace, clarity, and wisdom have been inside you all along—simply waiting for you to become still enough to hear them.
Benefits of the Mindful Minute
Reduces stress and anxiety
Improves focus and concentration
Creates a sense of calm during busy days
Helps you reconnect with yourself
Encourages clearer decision-making
Reminds you to breathe deeply and intentionally
Sometimes the smallest practices create the biggest transformations.
Why not give yourself one minute today?
Much Love,
Kena 🌻
Link to Awakening the Buddha Within on the Canadian Amazon Website: https://a.co/d/0izLg1Ie
Link to Intuitive Life https://theintuitivelife.com/blogs
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