SHORTER MINDFUL PRACTICES [MENTAL HEALTH] ARTICLE 1, 2, 3

Article 1

Shorter practices are those that can be done in almost any situation, including when you are on the go.

Shorter practice 1 : THREE MINUTES BREATHING SPACE

This is exactly what the name implies : three minutes that you take out of your day to focus on your breathing. Because it takes so little time to do, many people consider this to be one of the most important practices that they learn during the mindfulness course. It can be particularly useful during times of stress, exhuastion , anger and sadness , where your thoughts are spiralling out of control , kind of like an emergency meditation . Doing the Tree-Minute Breathing Space enable you to step out of autopilot mode so that you can take a more mindful stance towards whatever is happening.

Adopt an erect posture , sitting or standing . First , ask yourself what your experience of the present moment is right now in terms of your thoughts, feeelings , senses , and bodily sensations. A word or phrase is fine(for example,’anxiety’ , tightness’ in my chest’)

Second gently turn your full attention to your breathing , the uniqueness of each in-and out breath. Let your attention , as best you can , hold the breath in the foreground as far as possible . In the third and final step, widen the scope of your awareness to include your whole body , your abdomen , facial expression and posture . Include all of your experience in your awareness.

Article 2

Shorter Practice 2 : Streching

In any moment, you can bring your awareness to your body and with clear intention and a sense of self-compassion , make deliberate movements that establish a sense of connection , dignity, and awareness of the body .

For example, you might be at a meeting and notice you have started slouching and that your neck and shoulders have become tight. Deliberately taking a more upright and dignified posture and releasing the shoulder tension can be one way to respond in these moments.

Tai chi , hatha, yoga and chi gung all use Mindful Movement and can be adapted into bite-sized everyday streches.

Article 3

Shorter practice 3: Walking

You might find that your mind and body are too restless or stressed to lie, sit, or stand while focusing on the breath. At these times, doing a meditation that uses movement can help anchor your attention into the present moment.

Mindful walking is an everyday and very effective movement meditation that can be done anywhere-inside or outdoors. The destination is not important; instead you are looking for an intentional awareness of the body moving , bringing the torch beam of attention to the feet, legs and body as you walk.

It is up to you whether you set aside time for it, or incorporate it into your normal everyday activities, perhaps while walking to work. The intention is to be fully present with each moment , with each step, right where you are.