Mindfulness Exercises

Mindfulness Exercises
Monday Morning grouch? Try a mindfulness routine

If you’re like a bear with a sore head first thing in the morning – often an affliction on Mondays –  then a mindfulness routine may help to reduce your level of grouchiness.

This is because your dark mood may well come from the grumpy thoughts about the day ahead that begin circling your mind as you’re on your way out of bed.

Instead of paying attention to these thoughts, try noticing:

  • the feeling of your feet against the floor,
  • your fingers touching light switches and door handles,
  • water splashing on your hands
  • the sound of the kettle boiling

and the other experiences that come with morning but which we often screen out of our awareness.

Also, ask yourself if starting a week or day with a series of angry or anxious thoughts, helps you or hinders you. Sometimes they are unavoidable but usually you have a choice about whether to indulge them. Instead you could try giving your awareness to whatever you’re physically doing right now.

If you want to go further you can also notice your breathing and perhaps spend a minute or two doing just that. Even clearing a space in your morning for this simple exercise can make a difference – you’ve done something for yourself instead of being carried along by negativity.

​The basic idea? Get yourself to the front door without putting yourself into a bad mood first thing in the day.

My book Daily Calm, with its quick and simple readings, can form part of a beneficial morning routine and you can get more ideas from my online courses.

This post was originally published 28th July 2016 and was updated on 21st February 2020.

21/02/2020

Mindfulness  ·  Mindfulness Exercises
Pema Chödrön’s Mindful Pause Practice – 3 conscious breaths

Pema Chödrön recommends what she calls “pause practice” as a way of stepping out of the stream of thoughts and preoccupations that can so easily carry us away during our day. To do the practice, just pause and take three conscious breaths. That’s all.

Why would this be  useful? My explanation:

  • First, the pause brings you into the present moment and out of the preoccupations that can carry you away into anxiety, anger and so on.
  • Second, to do this you accept that it is worth doing and that you deserve to give yourself this pause in busyness.
  • Third, deliberate, calm breathing lowers stress especially if you breathe with your tummy.

The three breaths practice is, Pema Chödrön says (in an article on lionsroar.com), “a simple but powerful practice that each of us can do at any given moment.”

Opportunities to do this include:

  •  When you wake up in the morning.
  •  Washing up.
  •  Making tea or coffee.
  •  Brushing your teeth.
  •  In the car, on the bus, standing in line.
  • Standing or sitting in your work space.

“Let it be a contrast to being all caught up,” she writes. “Let it be like popping a bubble. Let it be just a moment in time, and then go on.”

Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun and writer. Her books include “When things fall apart” and “Start where you are.” Her website: The Pema Chödrön Foundation

This post was originally published on 8th August 2016, updated on 4th February, 2020

04/02/2020

Mindfulness  ·  Mindfulness Exercises
A mindful walk in 7 stages

A few years ago, when I was under a good deal of anxiety, I walked a lot and found it helpful especially when I took a mindful approach to at least part of the walk. So I created this set of stages which I still use on my walks. They incorporate mindfulness, acceptance, self-compassion as a form of self care, affirmation, positivity and a reminder that, also, we need add a little courage to the mix.

You could also do this in bed, or sitting down, or standing in a queue, but I normally do it when I’m walking.

I’ve included visual symbols which help me to remember each of the steps. Here goes:

1 – What five things am I aware of right now?

This means what am I aware of my vicinity? So it could be people, traffic, trees, sounds, the feeling of my feet against the ground, the smell of flowers or shrubs. Or it could be my own breathing, my posture, maybe a physical feeling I have. This is a simple exercise in basic mindfulness.

Symbol: The sun, representing the light of awareness.

2 – What five things do I accept right now?

This could be how I feel, or something that is happening in my world or in somebody else’s. It could even be the weather. Acceptance is the other half of mindfulness which could be defined as returning awareness again and again to the present moment with acceptance.

Symbol: Visualise a bowl which is accepting the light from the sun. So the light of awareness is now held in the bowl of acceptance.

3 – Bring awareness to my breath.

This means observing a number of in-breaths and out-breaths. For me this usually means five in-breaths and out-breaths. But the number isn’t really all that important, it could be fewer or more. Breath awareness is probably the most usual way in which people practice mindfulness.

Symbol: Imagine the light being drawn up out of the bowl by your breath.

4 – Say an affirmation.

This means repeating, mentally, an affirmation that you find helpful. It turns your thoughts in a more useful direction. You can develop your own affirmations. Here are a few that I use:

‘My happiness does not depend on this.’ Note: Whatever is on my mind now will probably be forgotten about soon enough and probably won’t affect my overall happiness.

‘If I can find happiness in this I am liberated.’ Note: If you can find some happiness in unwanted situations then that’s a form of liberation: you don’t have to wait for the planets to align, so to speak, in order to have some happiness.

‘Life is not a game of chess.’ Note: I don’t have to spend every moment of my day, or of this walk, problem-solving. I can just ‘be.’

Symbol: The word ‘affirmation’ appears in the light that your breath drew out of the bowl.

5 – What’s positive?

List five things that are positive. This is just to help turn your mind in a lighter direction. It also helps you to avoid getting caught in a harmful loop of thoughts in which you attack yourself or other people or life in general over and over. The things that are positive don’t have to be about the main issue that is on your mind today. They could be that the sky is blue, that somebody you know is happy, that you’re looking forward to something tomorrow, that you are able to make the choice to go on a walk like this. Noting what’s positive can help foster a sense of hopefulness.

Symbol: The light becomes a circle in the sky, in other words becomes the sun again, representing what’s positive.

6 – Remember self-compassion.

This means reminding yourself that you will still be your own true friend at the end of the day whatever may happen. Or it could be at the end of a piece of work you’re doing, or of a social event you’re unsure about. Self-compassion is a hugely important form of self care in our challenging world – it’s a gift you ought to give yourself.

Symbol: The sun becomes a heart.

7 – Remember courage.

This means connecting with your own power. It means knowing what your intentions are and doing what needs to be done even if you feel nervous about it. I believe we all have more courage than we think we have – this part of the walk helps to remind us of this.

Symbol: The heart becomes a shield that could be held by a warrior, a male or female warrior as you wish.

For more mindfulness ideas see my online Easy Mindfulness Course. Its 15 lessons cover all aspects of mindfulness and includes many exercises and practices. Payment by donation so it’s affordable to all. Learn more

 

11/05/2019

Mindfulness Exercises
Going on holiday? Pack these mindfulness tips.

Whether you holiday with others or alone, mindfulness can make the experience better. Pack these tips – some are from my book Mindfulness on the Go – in your travel bag:

On the plane

Bells, announcements, trollies, safety routines: How can you possibly be mindful on the plane, an environment which seems to be built to distract, bore and cramp? We’ll look at some ideas in a moment but first,

Nervous about flying?

I am grateful to reader Nicola, who read an earlier version of this post, for this tip in the comments section: “I love travelling but don’t enjoy flying, especially take off and landing. I now use mindfulness during these times, focusing on my breath and the feeling of my feet on the floor. It really helps me to stay more relaxed and I gain a sense of control whilst in the air.”

I would also suggest that you breathe with your tummy and not your chest as tummy-breathing is more relaxing. Ordinary, gentle breathing is what you should aim for: gulping air and breathing too heavily can make you even more nervous. Give more awareness to your out-breath as this will also help you relax.

Ok, you’re up and flying. To bring some mindful calm to the experience, try these:
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Connect with your posture. 

Notice your feet against the floor, your back against the back of the seat. Notice what your hands are doing. Practice relaxing a little more than you are relaxed already. If you encounter an area of tension, rest your attention on it and watch it relax.

Practise a little mindfulness of breathing.

Follow your out-breath all the way out and allow the in-breath to occur absolutely without effort. This is especially useful if you are trying to catch a snooze.

Listen to a mindfulness exercise on your smartphone.

You’ll find lots of good mindfulness apps for smartphones. Insight Timer is one. Listening to a ten minute mindfulness practice on the phone could help you get to your destination in good shape and in a mellow mood.

On the train 

Trains still have a romantic image. But they can also be very unromantic places, crowded, noisy, and irritating. In these circumstances, a little mindfulness can get you to the end of the journey in a calmer mood than otherwise:

Look at the passing scene as if for the first time.

For most of us, if the railway company papered over the windows so that we could not look out, it would make no difference. Have you noticed that on our first couple of journeys we may appreciate the passing countryside but soon take it for granted? Now and then, connect mindfully with the passing scene as an antidote to forgetfulness.

Connect with your anchor point.

Notice where in your body you are most aware of your breathing. Where is that point? It could be at the tip of your nose, inside your nostrils, in your chest, tummy or elsewhere. You can look on this as an anchor point which you can use to connect you in with the experience of mindfulness at any time. How? From time to time, on that train journey, connect with your anchor point and notice your breathing at that point for a while. You’ll find that on a crowded train this can actually give you a sense of spaciousness.

Feel the rhythm of the train.

Modern trains don’t chug along like the old romantic steam engines but they still run according to a rhythm. So tune out of all that is going on inside the railway carriage or on your phone and rest your attention for a little while on the rhythm of the train

In the accommodation

Travel means hotels, apartments, tents, boats – places in other words. Try these mindfulness practices as part of your hotel experience:

Try one minute mindfulness of breathing.

Now and then, take a minute to to be mindful of your breathing. Sit on the side of the bed and focus your attention on the out-breath for about a minute (don’t worry about getting the time right, guess). Return your awareness to the breath whenever your mind wanders.

Have a morning ritual.

Whether or not you welcome the arrival of morning, a little mindfulness ritual will help get your day off to a good start. This can be as simple as forming the intention to be mindful as you’re getting out of the bed.

Notice meals.

Paying a little attention to the taste and aroma of your food can enhance the experience and in that way even gives you better value for money.

Take a walk.

If you’re staying in the same place for a while,  seek out a pleasant place for a walk. Taking a familiar, mindful, pleasant walk can be very refreshing. It can also provide a good interval for awareness and presence before you get into busier holiday activities.

The first time you walk, say, from your apartment to store, you are sharply aware of everything around you. By the second and third time, you can so easily be lost in thought for the whole journey.

  • Take a tip from Ellen Langer of Harvard University who has been writing about mindfulness for longer than most people. She suggests we cultivate the attitude of seeing what’s new in whatever situation we are in. This keeps us fresh and engaged and is a fun way to practise mindfulness.
  • For instance, are you in travelling through countryside or city in which a lot of activities are going on? What do you see? Do the colours change?
  • Do you see beautiful buildings or a beautiful landscape around you? Take a moment to acknowledge it and to really notice it.

​Being mindful gives you more value for money on your holiday. That’s a good enough reason to cultivate it.

This Daily Bell might also be worth keeping in mind:

“Why does bringing calm awareness to the moment a few times a day matter? What good does it do? It calms the stress centres of the brain (paying attention to breathing has this effect), it stops you building up stressful thought after stressful thought and it makes a space in which to allow  positive feelings to arise. Try it now if you can.

“Try: For a few minutes observe your breath, especially your outbreath, and when your mind drifts, very quietly note that drifting and return to your out breath.”

My 15 lesson online course Easy Mindfulness will give you lots of tips and information on mindfulness. You can even do it on holiday if you have a wifi connection. Payment is by donation so it’s affordable to all. More information

 

08/06/2017

Mindfulness  ·  Mindfulness Exercises
Mindful walking: a simple and effective mindfulness practice

One of my favourite mindfulness practices is mindful walking.

Mindful walking is good if you’re feeling a little restless or when your mind is agitated. But it’s also good as a way to bring your attention back to the moment again and again,  and that’s the essence of mindfulness.

Mindful walking  is as simple and as complicated as maintaining – as best you can – your awareness of the fact that you are walking.

  • You might try to be aware of each footstep.
  • You might harmonise your walking with your breathing.
  • You might note sounds around you.
  • If you are walking at home you might notice creaks in floorboards.

If you try to do all these things at once, you will end up in a knot. So it’s best to settle on just one or two ways to do this practice. I try to be aware of my feet against the floor and of sounds.

As with other mindfulness practices, when you realise you have drifted away in thought, just notice what you are thinking about and then return to your walking.

Some people like to walk mindfully and slowly in a circle or back and forth, often in a location, such as a meditation centre, which is set aside for that purpose.

But if that’s not your scene, or if you don’t have such a place to go to, you can practise mindful, normal walking in everyday life using the simple methods above.

The Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn is an advocate of mindful walking. You can read a (long) article by him on this practice on the Lion’s Roar website  at this link.

08/07/2016

Mindfulness  ·  Mindfulness Exercises
You don’t have to sit for 20 minutes to be mindful

Do you have to sit and observe your breath for 20 minutes a day to practise mindfulness?

No you don’t.

Sitting mindfully is helpful and builds that “mindfulness muscle” but it isn’t essential.

Many people don’t live in circumstances in which they can sit mindfully for 20 minutes a day: long commutes, demanding kids or a lack of privacy all put paid to monk-type meditating. Others would give up on mindfulness if they had to do it because, well, they can usually find something more interesting to do than sitting for twenty minutes with their breathing – actually the same is true of people who meditate daily and they do it anyway: if you are not made of such stern stuff don’t drop mindfulness but use some of the ideas below.

Mindfulness in daily life
So, if sitting mindfully isn’t your thing, you can aim to cultivate mindfulness in your daily life. How? Try these:
​

  • As often as you remember to do so, take a few calm breaths in awareness. This takes you out of the mind-wandering that so many of us get lost in.
  • When you realise you’ve drifted off into rumination (going over and over negative stuff in your mind) bring your attention back into the present moment and to what’s going on around you.
  • Walk or stroll mindfully, in other words, bring your awareness to the fact that you are walking, to the sensation of walking, to what you see and hear. You don’t need a park or a forest for this (most of us don’t have one handy). You can be mindful when walking in your place of work, in your home, or down the street.
  • Choose a routine action to do in full awareness: drinking tea or coffee, walking along the street, showering, brushing your teeth, starting the car, cycling – it’s an endless list.
  • Do short practices on an app such as Insight Timer. It’s one of the world’s most popular mindfulness apps. I have some short practices on it myself at this link.
  • Download and use some of my (usually) short mindfulness practices on the audio section of this website or on Soundcloud (Soundcloud tracks start playing automatically).

Buddhist tradition
Mindfulness as we practise it today was developed in the Buddhist tradition. But historians say most Buddhists have not traditionally practised sitting and meditating, that this was more a practice for senior monks in monasteries – the juniors were busy doing the hard work!

So if sitting in meditation isn’t for you, practise mindfulness anyway and you’ll still get the benefits of this great life skill.

To learn more about the many ways to practise mindfulness, do my Easy Mindfulness online course. Payment is by donation. Learn more

 

08/06/2016