# Lucid Dreaming > Attaining Lucidity > Meditation >  >  Mindfulness throughout the day

## Ginsan

I have an idea to practice mindfulness throughout the day. I mean casually, without sitting down, while doing other things. I pay attention to only 1 part of the breath. There are 3 general parts: breathing in, breathing out, and the pause in between. I think the pause in between is the most difficult one to pay attention to and the in-breath is the easiest. I'll do this and report on what happens.

I just had this idea and I don't know what will happen. A great outcome would be that I build my awareness to the point where I will be able to be mindful of my in-breath and feel it without making an effort. Once that happens, I can start paying attention to the out-breath as well, and then to the pause in between breaths as well. It is quite ambitious if I see how unaware I currently am of my breath, but the mind is sometimes surprisingly quick to learn things, so I'll try it and see what happens. Ofcourse the goal is to get more lucidity   :smiley: 

I practice mindfulness meditation about 30 minutes a day on average. But I am only mindful during practice and when I don't practice, my awareness slowly diminishes until I meditate again. I'm hoping that this will make my awareness fade away much more slowly. Or maybe it will even grow?


edit: <SwordArtOnline^> use breathing in as awareness trigger? am i understanding this right?
It does seem to work this way. The past few minutes now, whenever I notice the in-breath or just the breath in general, I snap back to mindfulness. I think what makes this work is that I am not thinking "constantly be aware of evertything," I am just thinking "be aware of the in-breath," but then everything else follows anyways. Lifehacks! Lifehacks for the win!

edit2: actually there are 2 pauses: 1 after the out-breath and 1 after in-breath. also, as Exsolutus mentioned in the chat, the pause after the out-breath is bigger than the pause after the in-breath. so the smallest one is probabyl the hardest to pay attention to.

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## ConfusingApple

sounds like a good idea, let me know how this goes please.

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## Ginsan

Thanks apple. It definitely acts as an awareness trigger. Whenever I remember to do this, I get additional awareness of my body and my environment for at least a few seconds. But it stays.. Like... I watch my inbreath and am more aware for a few seconds (up to 10), then forget it. But having done it a few minutes/seconds ago makes me more likely to do it again. So it's like it's on the surface of my mind and occasionally i forget and then do it again. But its only small and supplementary i think, because i need a relatively clear mind already for this to work, so i need to also sleep well and practice mindfulness.

but i havent really been doing this, just a few times a day, sometimes not even once in a day. maybe it needs some time to sink in, because right now it is still a new thing. wow this was already a month ago. maybe its not so new.... anyway ill let you know how it goes  :tongue2:

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## FryingMan

I think just like getting yourself to do sitting meditation (which I still hardly ever do despite the well-documented benefits), you just need to start.   Just resolve firmly to periodically really slow down, stop even, release all tension and thought chains and open yourself fully the present moment.

In addition to these "stop" moments, you can also resolve to maintain an active observing awareness all throughout the day.    Be aware of your awareness!    I am now really starting to work on not doing anything fast, or by  conditioned reflex or reaction.   I'm trying no to take anything for granted or do anything mindlessly.   Including simple things like opening doors, getting something from the refrigerator, standing up, walking, etc.

The more you do it, the more you'll want to do and the more you'll notice those "zoned out" times.    I catch myself alot now "waking up" to the fact that I've been doing something mindlessly and/or habitually, and tune back in.

I wouldn't worry about establishing any particular trigger, but if it works for you, great.    I worked on breath in fact as a trigger last year but perhaps because I never established a regular sitting meditation routine, it didn't really stick.   Usually I'll become aware first, then notice my breath, but sometimes the breath does work as a trigger.

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## ConfusingApple

currently i am trying sivason's sensory awareness meditation. i have done it every day, but only for 10-20 minutes. i struggle to force my self after the 10 minute mark.

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