So after our short introduction to mindfulness, maybe you’re itching to have a go? That’s great! But what exactly do you do? How do you learn to be “here” now instead of focusing on jobs to be done or holidays to be had? Most people start with a mindfulness pause, a type of meditation that’s fairly easy to do. Today we’re going to take a look at how to take a mindfulness pause.
The great thing about this mindfulness practice is that you can do it anywhere you want and almost any time; don’t do it when you’re incredibly busy or likely to be interrupted, at least not at first. Try to do it in a quiet space the first few times. A mindfulness pause only lasts a couple of minutes (at most) and has three mini steps.
Step One: Pay Attention
We spend most of our lives on autopilot, going from one task to another without ever stopping to think or devote our full attention to it. Turn off this autopilot and pay attention to your body and your surroundings. Find a quiet place to sit.
Step Two: Breathe
Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. Pay attention to your breathing. Notice how it feels and the awareness it brings to your body. Is the air in your chosen space warm or cold? Focus on the rise and fall of your chest. Do this until you feel yourself calm down and centre yourself in your body. It may only a few breaths or it may take several minutes at first. Don’t try to force it, it will get quicker and easier with practice.
Step Three: Notice Your Surroundings
Now expand your attention outward from your breath. Notice how the rest of your body feels and the sensations coursing through it. Now notice what’s going on around you. Sounds. Smells. Pay attention to everything you can notice with your eyes closed. Do this for a short time. Now open your eyes, take a couple more deep breaths and return to what you were doing. You should feel at least a little refreshed.
That’s it -that’s all there is to a mindfulness pause! It can take as little as a minute with practice. You’ll want to do this several times a day to get the hang of it and learn to really be mindful.
A mindfulness pause is simply one way to practice mindfulness. You can also extend your practice to mindfulness movement, which involves being mindful while walking, doing yoga, etc. You may want to try mindfulness activities -that is, being mindful while doing things such as hobbies or while going throughout your daily life.