Welcome to this 10 minute mindfulness meditation.
Let's begin with a grounding meditation to relax your body and mind.
Find a comfortable position where you won't be disturbed,
Either sitting on a chair or on the floor.
When sitting on a chair,
Make sure the legs are placed parallel to each other,
No wider than your hips,
And your feet are well grounded on the floor,
Flat and steady.
Rest your arms gently on your thighs or in your lap,
Either palms facing up or down,
Whatever feels comfortable for you today.
If you're sitting on a cushion arranging things in such a way that your knees are lower than your hips.
Make sure your back is straight and tall.
If you need support for your lower back,
You can add a pillow or a blanket under your buttocks.
Make sure you're not clenching your jaw by pressing your lower teeth against your upper teeth,
And make sure your tongue is placed loosely in the lower half of your mouth.
At your own pace,
Take a long and deep breath,
Inhaling through the nose,
And exhaling through the mouth,
While keeping your eyes open.
During the next exhalation,
Closing your eyes if you wish,
Or keeping them open,
Gazing at a spot on the floor,
Just a short distance away from you.
Continue to inhale through the nose,
And exhale through the mouth.
During the next inhalation,
See if you can feel your belly expand,
Perhaps by placing a hand on the belly to feel the movement.
On each exhalation,
Letting the belly relax.
If your mind gets distracted at any point,
Simply bring your attention back to your breath.
Inhale and expand,
Exhale and relax.
One more time.
Breathe in and expand,
Breathe out and relax.
And whenever you're ready,
Returning your breath to its normal pace,
Inhaling and exhaling through the nose.
Meditation is about learning to tame your mind by using simple focusing practices,
For instance by paying attention to your breathing.
You can slowly and with practice learn to control your thoughts,
And as a consequence learn to achieve calmness in your life.
As you eat.
Talking about breathing.
We are now bubbles.
Placing your attention on your breathing guides your focus on your inner self on a deeper and more intimate level.
It reduces the frequency of your heart rate,
Encourages the oxygen in your blood,
Reduces stomach tension and shoulder tension and creates a state of calm,
Stillness and relaxation.
If your mind gets distracted at any point,
Simply bring your attention back to your breath.
At your own pace bring your attention back into the room.
As you go about your day,
If at any moment you notice your focus is drifting and you feel you're losing control,
Take a three minute pause and focus again on your breathing and then go back to your ongoing tasks.
You'll notice that it's easier to concentrate.
Now slowly move your fingers and toes and whenever you feel ready,
Open your eyes.
