5 Minute Mindfulness Of The Body

We are often so busy that we forget that we experience this life through our bodies. Our body has important messages and wisdom to offer us, and we can learn to befriend it. You will be able to practice even if you have only 5 minutes! You may notice it helps you slow down, get clear. Let yourself come to notice sensations, and if you come across intense discomfort, shift your attention to a neutral area, or use the anchor offered of feeling your fingertips. There is no wrong way to practice!

Transcript

This brief practice of mindfulness of the body helps us to drop in and sense what's going on rather than just be caught in our thoughts.

You might first take a moment to move in a way that helps you both feel your body but also give it a chance to be still.

So maybe that's a brief shrug of the shoulders up to your ears.

Maybe then squeezing the shoulder blades back towards each other behind your back and letting everything drop through your arms.

You can take a moment to open and close your hands slowly,

Sensing the micro movements as you stretch your fingers,

The hands being another place where we hold tension to,

And then relaxing the hands.

And lastly the jaw,

You can take an exaggerated movement of drawing the jaw down like you're trying to pull it away from the ears and then letting it relax.

Maybe doing that again,

Just sensing that space between your teeth and letting it rest.

As you come into a few moments of stillness now,

You can close your eyes or look down,

Not looking at anything in particular.

If it's helpful,

You can have fingertips touching your fingertips,

Which can help with that sense of presence in the body.

Take a moment to connect with the sensations of sitting in the chair,

Your seat supported,

Something perhaps touching your back.

You might just sense the weight of your hands wherever they're resting.

And if you ever notice it's hard to focus or a particular part of the body we're paying attention to just isn't right for you today,

You can always come back to sensing just your hands and fingertips or another part of your body that feels neutral.

And so as you bring your gentle curious awareness,

Let yourself notice what sensations are present in your body.

Perhaps even right in your hands.

Can you sense temperature?

Any sense of pulsing?

Tingling?

The body is like a symphony full of murmurs of different sensations all in the present moment.

And now in this moment,

What else do you notice?

Do you notice the temperature of the room against exposed skin?

Are there places that call to you calling to your attention?

And see if you can observe whatever you notice,

Comfort or discomfort with just a gentle,

Kind curiosity.

And as you take the last few breaths in this practice,

Perhaps focusing on just one part of the body and noticing whatever you sense there for the next three breaths.

And then as you are ready,

Gently bringing your awareness back to the present.