The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes,
But in having new eyes.
Marcel Proust I love this quote.
Because mindfulness is not about changing your life.
It is about changing the way you inhabit it.
Nothing around you has to move.
And yet everything can feel different.
So here is the question that opens our journey together.
Where is your attention?
And I'm not asking where you want it to be,
Or where you wish it were.
But where is it right now?
If you have an ADHD mind,
I'm sure this question can seem almost funny.
Because attention can move fast.
And that's ok.
This practice is not about forcing it to stay.
It's about noticing and coming back.
Research from Harvard University shows that our minds wander about 47% of the time.
Almost half of our lives are spent somewhere else.
Planning,
Remembering,
Rehearsing,
Scrolling,
Drifting.
When I first heard that,
It came as an evidence.
It explained so much.
Why moments pass so quickly.
Why time flies.
Why we sometimes feel disconnected from our own lives.
In the hecticness of our modern society.
The truth is,
Mindfulness begins with something very simple.
It is not about controlling attention or enforcing stillness.
But just noticing where attention goes.
And discovering that we can gently bring it back.
There are many ways you can bring your attention back.
Through the breath.
Through the body.
Through noticing what surrounds you.
Through the points of contact with what supports you.
Or even through nature.
They are called anchors.
And over the next few days,
We will explore these different anchors.
Today,
We will begin our mindful odyssey with the most accessible one.
The mother anchor of all.
The breath.
So if you feel ready for it,
Let's practice together.
I invite you to find a comfortable position.
Nice,
Straight and relaxed spine.
Sitting.
Seating,
Standing or even laying,
Wherever you are.
Whatever feels best right now.
Let your body take its place.
If it feels safe,
You can gently close your eyes.
And before we go any further,
I would like to ask you something.
How do you feel right now?
Take a moment to notice.
You don't need to change it or improve it.
Just observe it as it is.
Now,
I would like you to slowly start bringing your attention to your breathing.
Without trying to breathe differently.
Simply notice that you are breathing.
Feel the air entering your body.
Leaving your body.
Maybe you can feel it enter your nostrils.
Maybe passing through your trachea.
Rising in your chest.
Inflating your belly.
Choose one place where the sensation feels clear to you.
This will be your anchor today.
Focus on your inhale.
And your exhale.
You might notice coolness of the air as it enters.
And the warmth of it as it leaves your nostrils.
If you pay attention,
You might feel the air landing on the space between your nose and your upper lip.
And very naturally,
Your mind may drift.
When it happens,
Simply notice it.
And gently come back.
Without labeling.
Without judgment.
You just return to your breath.
To the part of your body that manifests your breath.
Each time you return to your breath is an act of mindfulness.
Let's stay here for a few quiet moments.
Take deep breaths.
And if a thought,
A feeling or an emotion pops up,
That is totally fine.
You can just acknowledge it and return to your breath.
Your anchor.
For another conscious act of mindfulness.
Before we finish this practice,
I would like you to ask yourself again.
How do I feel now?
Do you notice any change from the beginning of this session?
Maybe you do.
Maybe you don't.
There is no goal here.
No right or wrong.
We are just observing what is.
You can gently start coming back into your body.
Maybe you can wiggle your fingers.
Your toes.
Maybe you can open your eyes.
And start feeling the air on your skin.
Or the light in the room.
The sounds around you.
Welcome back.
Today we practiced something simple.
Simple yet essential.
Coming back.
You noticed when your mind had left.
And you returned to your breath.
That return is the beating heart of mindfulness.
You have just experienced a real mindful moment.
If you wish to join the full course,
You are more than welcome to do so.
It is available for you,
Together with many more mindful experiences.
I hope to see you soon in the classroom.
That's it for today.
I wish you a beautiful return to your day.
And I hope to see you very soon for the new mindful experiences of this course.
