This short and easy morning mindfulness practice is designed to gently bring your mind away from all the mental chatter in your head and into the present moment,
Allowing everything some time to find calm and stillness.
So find a comfortable position to be in,
You can be seated on a cushion on the floor,
Cross-legged,
Sitting on a chair,
Lying down or even standing outside in nature if you like.
You don't want to be straining too hard in the body as it's distracting,
So just find however is comfortable for you so your body can relax.
In this meditation I'll give you some guidance and then leave a space of silence,
Space for you to just be with your own processes and notice what's there for you in the moment.
With your eyes still open,
Start to have a little look around the room or the environment that you're in right now.
Take a moment to really notice that this is where you are right now,
Nowhere else.
Not far away in whatever's going on in the mind,
Right here in this place in your body.
As you have a look around,
Try not to be pulled out to what's there,
Entangled in concepts or thoughts about what you see.
Just notice and look as if you were seeing it for the first time and really being present with what you see,
Noticing whatever you notice.
Take your time with it.
And now gently drawing away from that,
Close your eyes and as you do,
Feel your awareness draw in towards your center.
As you rest there,
Let's take a little time to really listen,
Put all of your awareness on what sounds you hear and let them come to you.
Try not to get drawn out to the sounds and the stories or labels connected with them.
Really take your time to listen.
You may hear sounds you're used to noticing.
You might hear sounds you've never noticed before and notice how each sound arises,
Passes and disappears again.
Begin to notice what sensations you feel in and around the body.
Maybe you feel the temperature of the air against your skin.
Notice the sensations of your body against the ground that's supporting it.
It could be the feeling of the earth against your feet,
The pressure of the chair or the bed below you supporting you.
Maybe you can feel the aliveness in your muscles or the beating of your heart.
Notice the sensations of the air coming in and out of your nostrils and throat as you breathe and your belly,
Lungs and ribs rising and falling with each in-breath and each out-breath.
Notice the rhythm of the breath coming in and out and the pauses at the top and the bottom of each breath.
As you breathe,
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
Noticing any sense of calm or stillness.
Letting yourself really be present in it and take comfort in it.
So,
As we bring this short practice towards an end,
I'd like to say that using mindfulness like this can be done anywhere at any time.
You can do it at the office if you feel stressed out or anywhere really.
You can do it with the eyes closed or open.
It's a really easy practice that allows your mind and your whole system to find a little calm within the chaos.
Thank you for joining me for this short morning practice.
I hope that you have a wonderful day ahead.
