In this blog, I want to provide you with a few techniques that you can start practicing. Many people, including myself at first, have this notion that practicing mindfulness is somehow complicated or laborious. The opposite is true! These techniques are straight forward, simple and intended to help us “BE”, in the present moment. When we allow this, a mini vacation ensues, whether it be for 5 seconds or 5 minutes.

First, rules #1, #2 and #3: BE KIND AND GENTLE TO YOURSELF. It is impossible to do these, or any mindful technique wrong. Whatever degree you practice, it is ALWAYS good enough.

1) FOCUS OUT – This is one you can do even while driving!

This techniques focuses on the external:

Touch – Sight – Sound – Scent

Choose one external sense and intently focus on it for a few seconds. Say it out loud as doing so adds to grounding and centering. If your attention is on more than one, pick one for a few seconds. Touch includes smell and taste. You are only using these labels. You are not labeling what you see, hear, smell or touch. As an example, I hear the sound of a crow, I say “sound”. I feel a bump in the road, I say “touch”. This is an excellent exercise for people who have been traumatized and find it difficult to tolerate internal experiences.

2) MINDFUL BREATHING

We can’t “forget” to breathe but how often do we breathe consciously? When we take a few moments to become aware of our breathing, make it slower and deeper and feel it inside our body, we activate relaxation. There a many ways to engage in mindful breathing and you can even create your own exercise. This is how I do it:

I put one hand on my chest and one hand on my abdomen, over my belly button. Adjust which hand is where, depending on how natural and comfortable if feels. Inhale to a 4-second count, breathing deep into your diaphragm, pause, exhale to a 5-second count, pause and repeat. Count 10 of these slow, deep, conscious breaths and notice how your body relaxes.

3) WALKING MEDITATION

There are also many ways to do a walking meditation. Here is one I invented:

You will be repeating the words, “I am here. It is now.” Take one step, say, “I am here.” With the next step say, “It is now.” Walk slowly, with relaxed breathing. Even doing this a minute or two around your house brings us back to the present and provides a brief respite from your busy day.

There are countless mindfulness activities and exercises. You can certainly create your own. Again the only “rule” is to be kind to yourself. So, if you find your mind wandering, gently and non-judgmentally, bring yourself back into the present moment, knowing that in that moment, you have arrived once again.