I took the mindfulness course at Stanford[1] to support my wife who needed it. I was highly skeptical initially, but really enjoyed it. He teaches mindfulness t

I took the mindfulness course at Stanford[1] to support my wife who needed it. I was highly skeptical initially, but really enjoyed it. He teaches mindfulness through practice and leaves religious association out of it. It takes practice to become better at it, but it wasn't as painful for me as you described. In mindfulness meditation (at least the way it was taught in that course) the idea isn't to not think about anything or not let your mind wander, but to be mindful that your mind is wandering. It keeps you 'in the moment'. The guided exercises (mp3s and in class) really help make it easier. Admittedly, I stopped actively practicing shortly after the course ended, but do find it extremely helpful when my mind is racing and I can't fall sleep. 5-10 mins of breathing exercise and I'll be fast sleep. [1]https://stanfordhealthcare.org/events/scim-mindfulness-medication.html https://stanfordhealthcare.org/events/scim-mindfulness-medic...