Hate to be that guy (just kidding ;). This isn’t one of those things you pick up in a book. It’s like lifting or any other exercise: you just do it.
Go outside, sit down somewhere, and focus on the external world and not your thoughts. You could even do the whole “breath in, breath out, and empty your thoughts” meditation schtick — if you feel it’s necessary.
If you haven’t been able to focus in a long time, 15 minutes will be hectic. You’ll know you’re being mindful when it feels like you’ve melted into the environment — and are simply an antennae to the stimulus.
Also good for disassociative traumas — the kind that give you the “1,000 yard stare.”
Calm app's Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt. She's a great teacher.
Overall, it's learned through practice. My style is something I like to call, Calm Zen.
I start with a daily calm session (~10min) and follow it with 20min zazen, which is a pretty basic sitting meditation style. I count breaths mentally on the exhale to 10, then start back at 1.
I find tangible results from practicing daily for at least 20min per day. Some have measured results from less, but it doesn't seem to be the case for me.
My favorite resources for "mindfulness":
1. Believe in Jesus
2. Explore contemplative traditions of Hesychasm, Centering Prayer, Hesychasm, Carmelite mystics, etc.
If you attempt to divorce mindfulness meditation from spirituality or even from experience of a transcendent Divinity, you're asking for trouble.
Go outside, sit down somewhere, and focus on the external world and not your thoughts. You could even do the whole “breath in, breath out, and empty your thoughts” meditation schtick — if you feel it’s necessary.
If you haven’t been able to focus in a long time, 15 minutes will be hectic. You’ll know you’re being mindful when it feels like you’ve melted into the environment — and are simply an antennae to the stimulus.
Also good for disassociative traumas — the kind that give you the “1,000 yard stare.”