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Mindfulness Exercises
Basic Mindfulness Exercise:- Choose an activity (driving the car, brushing your teeth, washing the dishes or doing the laundry are good first choices)
- Pay attention to your breathing in the background, while also paying attention to all your senses--really notice them as if you've never experienced them before
- Really notice, and “drink in” the sights around you
- Imagine that you are turning the volume up on the sounds your hear, see if you can hear sounds that you normally overlook
- Let thoughts fade into the background, if you can, or watch them carefully as they come up (you may notice that your mind has a comment and a judgment about nearly everything!--that's pretty common)
- Notice what your body feels like as it is moving around; how your feet feel touching the floor, and the touch of your clothes against your skin--just notice what this feels like
- When you smell or taste something, tune in closely to those senses, and really savor them and notice what judgments and thoughts come up as well
- When you catch your mind wandering again and again (and you will), be very kind to yourself. Gently return to your senses.
You can actually visualize "turning up the volume" on all your senses,
not just sounds, if the image helps. My imaginary volume knobs actually look like knobs in my imagination, but yours can be buttons, slider switches or touchscreen controls. Remember: When your mind wanders, it’s not helpful to criticize and berate yourself, or at any other time really. Cultivate an attitude of kindness and patience with yourself (and others). See if you can have a light-hearted and amused attitude instead--laugh at yourself! Realize that it is a very good thing that you now have the opportunity to exercise that "concentration muscle" in your brain, and gently bring your awareness back to your senses once more. If your attention never wandered away, you would never have the opportunity to strengthen that "muscle." You have just taken your first steps on the most wonderful and joyous journey of your life. Enjoy!
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