pamela.ullmann
Although mindfulness has its roots in Buddhism, it is scientifically applied and studied by psychologists. Studies have shown that those who practice mindfulness techniques have less stress in their lives and are generally happier people. The founder and former director of The Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Jon Kabat-Zin, was instrumental in bringing the practice of mindfulness and meditation to a clinical setting. Studies at the clinic demonstrated that individuals involved in his 8-week mindfulness program significantly improved their stress, depression, anxiety, and even physical pain and issues. Many others in this area have conducted clinical studies and combined their psychological theories with this philosophy.
Being versus Doing modes
Mindfulness is all about paying attention. We want to have a sense of the “now” moment. Therefore there is an emphasis on slowing down and just “be.” We all experience two basic modes: The being mode and the doing mode. So what’s the difference?
Being mode is when you can acknowledge what you are feeling and thinking and how you act. You can also accept your current thoughts and feelings and let go of the temptation to do something about them or change them. You live in the present moment. On the other hand, unpleasant feelings are often more likely to diminish or have less of a negative impact on you if you accept them rather than struggle endlessly to change them. The main focus is on self-awareness rather than pursuing or achieving specific goals.
Doing mode is when you may take action to achieve a specific goal or approve a problem-solving approach. We often see difficulties or painful experiences as things you must “do something to change” rather than simply an experience or acknowledgment it. Sometimes we move on to the next challenge rather than stop and appreciate where we are at the moment, whether positive or negative.
Mindfulness Exercises
Exercise #1-THREE MINUTE BREATHING SPACE
There are many guided versions of this short exercise. You can find them on various meditation apps and audio programs. For now, the following text will give you an idea about the 3-minute meditation/ breathing space exercise.
- Start by settling into a comfortable position and allow your eyes to close or keep them open with a softened gaze.
- Begin by taking several long slow deep breaths, breathing in fully, and exhaling fully.
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose or mouth. Allow your breath to find its natural rhythm.
- Bring your full attention to noticing each in-breath as it enters your nostrils, travels down to your lungs, and causes your belly to expand. And notice each out-breath as your belly contracts and air moves up through the lungs back up through the nostrils or mouth. Invite your full attention to flow with your breath.
Don’t try to control your breath in any way, and observe and accept your experience at this moment without judgment. Pay attention to each inhale and exhale. If your mind wanders to thoughts, plans or problems, simply notice your mind wandering. Watch the thought as it enters your awareness as neutrally as possible. Begin to let go of the thought as if it were a leaf floating down a gentle stream. In your mind, place each thought that arises on another leaf and watch it float down the stream. Always follow that by bringing your attention back to your breath. Your breath is an anchor you can return to over and over when you become distracted by thoughts.
Exercise #2– BODY SCAN MEDITATION
Find a comfortable and quiet place to sit or lie down
- Bring your attention to your body. Close your eyes if that’s comfortable for you. Take notice of your body against the surface below. Take a few deep breaths. Relax
- As you take deep breaths, bring in more oxygen to enliven the body. Relax deeply through the exhales. Bring your awareness to your feet, and notice the sensations of your feet touching the surface beneath them. The weight and pressure, vibration, and heat. Sense all the feelings in your feet, toe by toe. Move on to your calves. Focus on their presence. How are muscles feeling? Are they tight? Relax them. Keep moving up the body and zero in on that part of the body. Draw your attention to each body part and what feelings or thoughts arise. Keep focused.
- You will want to work your way up to the top of your head. The whole process can be a few minutes or a more extended 45-minute meditation. The basic concept is to keep the mind focused on the body and explore the sensations.
Exercise #3- BREATH AWARENESS MEDITATION
This breath awareness meditation will guide you to focus on each breathing stage. It will help you to relax as you breathe slowly and gently. This meditation will help you gain awareness of the present moment.
- Find a comfortable position where you can sit upright with your spine straight. A chair is acceptable, or a meditation cushion on the floor is ok.
- Throughout this breath awareness meditation, you will breathe into the count of 4, hold for the count of 3, and breathe out to the count of 5.
- Once you are comfortable, you may want to do a few slow neck rolls to loosen up. Make any other adjustments that help put your body relax.
- Here is the format to follow:
Breathe in slowing…2….3….4, then hold…2…3….exhale…2….3….4….5…
Continue to breathe at this slow pace.
The focus of this breath awareness meditation is to simply notice the breath. Feel the air as it flows into your nostrils and slowly flows out. If thoughts come up, that’s ok; just go back to the breath. You can do this any time of day that you have a free and quiet moment. Ideally, 3 minutes would be a reasonable amount of time.
Exercise #4- OBSERVING MINDFULLY
This exercise may be simple but very powerful because it helps you take notice and appreciate essential elements of your surroundings more profoundly. By stopping what we are doing and observing, we connect with the beauty of our natural environment. This is something that is easily missed when we are rushing around through our daily lives.
- Choose a natural object from within your immediate environment and gaze at it for a minute or two. This could be a flower, rock, tree, or cloud.
- Don’t do anything except notice what you are looking at. Simply relax into watching for as long as your concentration allows. Look at this object as if seeing it for the first time.
- Visually explore every aspect of its form and allow yourself to be consumed by its presence.
- Allow yourself to connect with its energy and purpose within the natural world.
Exercise # 5- EATING A RAISIN
This exercise is very popular and involves spending 10 minutes contemplating, then eating a raisin. As strange as it sounds, it is effective in developing your focus. This is what you do:
- Take a raisin and hold it in one hand. Pretend as if you’ve never seen one before. Look at it in detail. Notice how many grooves there are in it and the little raised bumps. Notice if the color is the same throughout. Use your eyes to examine it intently.
- After a minute or two, change your focus to the feel and texture of it. You can close your eyes. Does it feel smooth? Soft? Sticky? Roll it between your fingers and concentrate on your feelings as you touch and hold it.
- Now lift the raisin to your nose. Is there any scent to it? Breathe in slowly and notice any aroma.
- Next, place the raisin in your mouth. Let it lie on your tongue for a while, and then move it inside your mouth. Think about the vague taste of it.
- Eventually, press your teeth onto it without biting through it. What do you notice? A change of smell? A building sense of sweetness? Suck gently, noticing how fruity your saliva is as the raisin loses its shape and form. When you are ready, eat and swallow it.
- Sit a while, noticing the sensation as the raisin begins its journey down to your stomach. Become aware of the taste and smell in your mouth and the slight stickiness on your fingers. Breathe in and out slowly.
I hope you can find some peace through these mindfulness exercises and become aware of the present moment. I am still on this journey, and I know how difficult it can be to carve out time to just “be.” We often forget to give back to ourselves while trying to succeed and move ahead.
You must be logged in to post a comment.