Welcome to this mindfulness practice.
Today,
We will explore how to bring mindfulness into your everyday activities.
Mindfulness isn't just something we do in meditation.
It's a way of being,
A way of fully experiencing each moment,
No matter what we're doing.
So you can find yourself a comfortable position,
Seated or lying down.
In this meditation,
It may feel right to close your eyes.
And you can begin by taking a few deep breaths.
And as you breathe in,
Feel the air filling your lungs.
And as you breathe out,
Allow any tension to soften.
And in this moment,
There's nothing else you need to do.
You are simply here,
Present with yourself.
Now bring your attention to your body.
Maybe feel the ground beneath you,
Supporting you.
Notice the weight of your body as it rests.
Maybe the temperature of the air on your skin.
And bring your awareness to your hands,
The palms of your hands.
And just notice any sensations in the palms of your hands.
Take a moment to fully settle into your body and into your breath.
And allow yourself to let go of any thoughts,
Past,
Future,
Just for now.
You are free to be here.
As you continue to breathe gently,
Notice if your mind starts to quiet.
And if thoughts start to come,
You can invite yourself to trust that in this moment,
Everything is as it should be.
Now bring your awareness to your breath.
Notice the sensation of the air as it enters your nose and flows down into your lungs.
As you exhale,
Feel the breath leaving your body,
Noticing warmth as it exits.
As you breathe,
Remind yourself that the breath is always with you.
It's a perfect anchor for mindfulness.
And it's something you can return to at any time during the day.
Each breath can invite us to become more present,
A reminder.
We don't have to rush or judge.
We can just be here now.
Notice if your body and your mind begin to settle into the rhythm of your breath.
In this moment,
We can focus on how we can integrate the sense of mindfulness into our day.
We can start by considering an activity,
Something that's done regularly.
Say drinking a cup of coffee,
Tea,
Washing your hands,
Brushing your teeth.
Imagine yourself performing one of these tasks.
You can visualize yourself standing maybe at the sink,
Brushing your teeth,
Feeling the bristles of the toothbrush on your teeth.
Notice the movement of your hand and the motion brushing up and down.
Focusing all attention on one activity.
Feeling the water on the skin,
The toothpaste.
Let go of any other distractions or thoughts.
Instead,
Immerse yourself in the task at hand.
As you do this,
Remind yourself that this moment,
However small or ordinary it is,
Is worthy of your attention.
Each simple task is an opportunity to practice mindfulness.
By being present in what you're doing,
You can bring a sense of peace and clarity to even the most routine activities.
Now let's bring mindfulness into movement.
You can imagine yourself walking,
Maybe just through your home,
Maybe outside.
Begin by noticing the sensations in your feet as they make contact with the ground.
You can feel the texture beneath you,
Whether it's soft carpet,
Tile,
Or earth.
As you walk,
Visualize allowing your movements to be fluid,
Slow,
And deliberate.
Feel the weight shifting from one foot to the other.
Pay attention to these subtle movements in your body,
The arms swinging,
The muscles engaging with each step.
Notice your posture,
The rise and fall of your chest with each breath.
Let go of any rush or urgency.
You don't need to get anywhere faster.
If your mind wanders,
Just bring it back.
Bring it back to the physical sensations of walking.
Let each movement be an opportunity to return to the present moment.
Know that this simple act is enough to bring you peace.
And gently bring mindfulness to eating and drinking.
In this,
You can now visualize sitting down to have a meal or a drink,
Maybe a warm cup of tea,
Coffee,
Or a piece of fruit.
Take a moment to be still and with your eyes,
Look at the food,
Look at the drink in front of you.
Notice the colors,
The textures,
The way it looks.
You can visualize taking a small bite or a sip now.
And as you do,
Pay attention to the flavors,
The textures.
Notice how the food or drink feels in your mouth,
How it nourishes your body.
Chew slowly and with attention.
Feel the sensations as you swallow,
The satisfaction of nourishing your body.
If your mind starts to wander,
Just gently bring your awareness back to the act of eating or drinking.
Now let's explore the act of mindful listening.
With your eyes still closed,
You can bring your awareness to the sounds around you.
Maybe you can notice the furthest sound away from you.
Now gently draw your awareness to a sound that's in the room.
Now bring your awareness to a sound that's maybe within you.
It could be your heart beating or the gentle sound of breathing.
Just let that sound wash over you without labeling or judging.
You can notice if your mind tries to label or categorize,
But see if you can truly just listen.
Just allow yourself to be fully present.
You can let this sound bring you back to this moment here.
Before we come to a close,
Take a moment to check in.
Check in with your body.
How does it feel?
What does it feel like to become more aware of the present moment?
No matter what you notice,
Just observe it.
Observe it with kindness.
Remember that mindfulness isn't about achieving a certain state.
It's about being present with whatever is arising.
Mindfulness can be integrated into every moment.
In this meditation,
You're learning to live more fully in each moment,
Bringing awareness and presence into everything you do.
Invite yourself to take one more full deep breath in and exhale.
When you're ready,
You can begin small movements.
Maybe gently open your eyes.
May your day be filled with moments of mindfulness,
Peace,
And presence.
Your meditation is now complete.
Thank you.
