An Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a practice that invites us to cultivate a healthy relationship with our thoughts, which can be beneficial for everyone, including those who experience challenges like OCD. For me, one of the main goals of meditation is to develop this relationship—to observe our thoughts without judgment and understand their transient nature. To explain this, I often compare the nature of thoughts to the weather we experience in the world around us.

The weather changes constantly—day to day, hour to hour. Some days are hot, some are cold; some are rainy, some are dry; some are cloudy, and others are clear. Yet, for the most part, we don’t get too upset about the weather on any given day. Why? Because we understand that we don’t control it. It simply is what it is. Unless we’re caught in an unexpected downpour on the way to something important, we accept the weather and move on with our lives.

Thoughts in our minds are a lot like the weather—they come and go on their own, rising and falling in the background. Like weather patterns, some thoughts are stronger or stickier than others; some are pleasant, while others are unpleasant. But just as storms eventually pass and sunny skies return, thoughts also arise and then fade away. This is their nature: temporary and ever-changing.

So why do our automatic background thoughts impact us more deeply than the weather? Even though both are largely out of our control, I believe the difference lies in how we identify with our thoughts. We often mistake them for who we are, attaching our sense of self to these fleeting mental phenomena. But just like we can’t control the weather outside, we also can’t control the “weather” of our minds.

This brings us back to one of the key goals of mindfulness meditation: to see the transitory nature of our thoughts more clearly. Through meditation, we learn to observe thoughts as they arise and pass without clinging to them or pushing them away. Over time, this practice helps us understand that our thoughts are not who we are—they’re just temporary occurrences. As we begin to identify less with our thoughts, we transform our relationship with them and, in turn, transform ourselves.

When this transformation happens, something powerful begins to unfold. Instead of grasping at thoughts or trying to push them away, we simply note them for what they are—like clouds passing through the sky—and let them move along at their own pace. As this process repeats over time, thoughts start to lose their power over us. We see them as fleeting and no longer feel compelled to invest so much energy into them.

This shift creates space—space for peace, energy, and even joy to enter our lives. As joy grows within us, it opens us up further, allowing us to cultivate a neutral stance toward our thoughts. We watch them rise and fall as independent phenomena without attaching ourselves to them. This neutrality transforms not only how we relate to our inner world but also how present we can be for ourselves and others.

For those new to mindfulness meditation, just a few minutes each day can make a difference. Here’s one simple approach you can try:

1. Choose an Anchor Point: Decide on an anchor point of awareness that you can return to whenever you notice your mind has wandered (which happens often—it’s part of the practice!). Some options include:

   - Focusing on your breath: Pay attention to the sensation of your inhale and exhale. You might feel it in your throat or chest or notice the air moving through your nose or mouth.

   - Bringing awareness to your body: Feel your sitting bones against the chair, your feet on the floor, or the air on your skin.

   - Listening to sounds: Let your awareness settle on the sounds in your environment.

   - Counting silently: Slowly count from one to ten and repeat as needed.

   Feel free to switch among these anchor points based on what works best for you.

2. Remember There’s No “Wrong” Way: If you get lost in thought or even fall asleep during meditation, that’s okay! Simply recognize it when it happens and return your focus to your chosen anchor point. Each time you recognize you are lost in thought, this is like completing a repetition in a workout—it strengthens your awareness muscle.

3. Observe Without Judgment: Whatever arises during your meditation—whether it’s planning your day or replaying a memory—observe it without judgment. You might even name it (“Oh, I’m planning” or “I’m remembering”) before gently returning to your anchor point.

4. Be Kind to Yourself: If sitting feels overwhelming at any point, give yourself permission to stop and try again another day.

When you’re ready to start meditating:

- Sit in a comfortable position.

- Aim for decent posture if possible (though comfort is more important).

- Set a timer for however long you’d like to practice. 10 minutes is a good time to get started. 

Over time, this practice can create noticeable shifts in how we relate to our thoughts and ourselves. Little by little at first—and then more significantly as momentum builds—we experience greater peace and presence in our lives. This opens up space for joy and connection as we continue observing our thoughts as transient phenomena rather than identifying with them.

Mindfulness meditation is not about doing it perfectly; it’s about showing up with intention and doing your best. With patience and consistency, this simple yet profound practice has the potential to transform not only how we navigate our inner world but also how we engage with life itself.

David Greenspan is a founding board member of OCDareToBe and has had a daily meditation practice for over 25 year.