Beginning

When I think of my mindful “practice”, i think of it in 2 different ways. There is my FORMAL practice, where i set aside some time everyday to sit or lay down and turn my attention inward. And, there is my “INFORMAL” practice where, at different times throughout the day, I turn my attention inward for a moment or two.

FORMAL PRACTICE HELPFUL HINTS:

Use the same space in your home each time you practice.

Remind your family to leave you be unless someone needs to goto the hospital.

Turning your attention inward looks like paying attention to any sensations throughout your body; paying attention to the full inhale and exhale of your breath; paying attention to any sounds that you hear around you. picking 1, 2, or all 3 of these “ANCHORS” is key.

Offer yourself kind words of redirection ~ just like you would a puppy who becomes distracted ~ GENTLY & KINDLY RETURN YOUR AWARENESS TO 1, 2, OR ALL 3 OF YOUR ANCHORS.

That’s it!

INFORMAL PRACTICE HINTS & IDEAS:

Turning your attention inward means noticing any sensations you feel within your body (hot, cold, hard, soft, prickly, tense, tight, loose, etc)

Every once in awhile, feel the points of contact where your feet meet the ground. notice how the ground rises up to to meet your feet. Feel that connection. Continue on your day.

Feel a full inhale and a full exhale. feel that connection to your body. Continue on your day.

Glance around the room and see if you can notice something you’ve never noticed before. Feel that connection to your surroundings. Continue on your day.

Pay attention to one full bite of your food from the moment you pick it up, until its fully swallowed and traveling into your belly. Feel that connection to your body. Continue on your day.

It sounds ridiculously easy.

It is not.

During these practices a space is forming within your brain structure. It is the space you need to move from REACTING to a situation to CHOOSING A RESPONSE to a situation.

You may not notice any difference until one day, when you are in the midst of a stressful circumstance, you find yourself calmly choosing your response.

It’s fucking amazing when this realization occurs.

Let’s begin. Together.