A 5-Minute Breathing Meditation To Cultivate Mindfulness
How do you cultivate mindfulness ?
One way is to meditate . A basic method is to focus your attention on your own breathing , a practice simply called “ mindful breathing .” After setting aside time to practice mindful breathing , you ’ ll find it easier to focus attention on your breath in your daily life — an important skill to help you deal with stress , anxiety , and negative emotions , cool yourself down when your temper flares , and sharpen your ability to concentrate .
Time required : 15 minutes daily . How to do it ? 1 . Find a relaxed , comfortable position . You could be seated on a chair or on the floor on a cushion . Keep your back upright , but not too tight . Hands resting wherever they ’ re comfortable . Tongue on the roof of your mouth or wherever it ’ s comfortable . 2 . Notice and relax your body . Try to notice the shape of your body , its weight . Let yourself relax and become curious about your body seated here — the sensations it experiences , the touch , the connection with the floor or the chair . Relax any areas of tightness or tension . Just breathe . 3 . Tune into your breath . Feel the natural flow of breath — in , out . You don ’ t need to do anything to your breath . Not long , not short , just natural . Notice where you feel your breath in your body . It might be in your abdomen . It may be in your chest or throat or in your nostrils . See if you can feel the sensations of breath , one breath at a time . When one breath ends , the next breath begins . 4 . Be kind to your wandering mind . Now as you do this , you might notice that your mind may start to wander . You may start thinking about other things . If this happens , it is not a problem . It ’ s very natural . Just notice that your mind has wandered . You can say “ thinking ” or “ wandering ” in your head softly . And then gently redirect your attention right back to the breathing . 5 . Stay here for five to seven minutes . Notice your breath , in silence . From time to time , you ’ ll get lost in thought , then return to your breath . 6 . Check in before you check out . After a few minutes , once again notice your body , your whole body , seated here . Let yourself relax even more deeply and then offer yourself some appreciation for doing this practice today .
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