Mindfulness

Mindfulness #1

 * Take a few deep breaths. Relax.
 * Focus your awareness on your abdomen and feel it rise and fall with each breath. Do not control your breath. Simply let yourself breathe and pay attention.
 * Keeping your attention on your abdomen, with each exhale count down one step from 10 to 1. (Ex: Breathe in. "10" - Breathe out. Breathe in. "9" - Breathe out. Breathe in. "8" - Breathe out.")
 * If your mind wanders, that's okay. Just return your attention to your breath in your abdomen, and begin again at 10.
 * Continue until you can count down from 10 to 1 without your mind wandering. This may take some time. Just gently stick with it. This practice trains your concentration.
 * Once you can count down from 10 to 1, return your attention to your abdomen and watch your breath. As thoughts arise, turn your attention and simply notice them. Watch them briefly, and then gently return your attention to your breath in your abdomen.
 * During the course of meditation, your mind will wander and you will return your attention to your breath many times. That's part of the process. As you do so, simply notice the chattering mind and how your thoughts come, peak, and fade away.
 * Continue the meditation until the end of the period. Take a few deep breaths, and then come out slowly.
 * Bring your mindfulness to the rest of your day.

Mindfulness #2

 * Get comfortable with good posture, and close eyes or fix them on a non-distracting spot.
 * Bring attention to the feeling of breathing. Follow the breath from the point it enters your nose or mouth, down into your lungs and then out again. Notice the sensation of the rising and falling of your chest caused by your lungs moving.
 * As soon as you realise you have been distracted by a thought or feeling, make a mental note of what distracted you, and return your attention to your breath.
 * You may find it challenging to not get involved with your thoughts. However the more you practice observing your thoughts and not becoming fused with them during mindfulness exercises, the better able you will be to apply this to other parts of your life.

Mindfulness #3 - Beginning Visualization
Here are some beginning exercises to improve concentration. Try to hold each one for 2-3 minutes.


 * With eyes closed and breathing deeply, try to visualize shapes:
 * A yellow triangle
 * A red circle
 * A blue five-pointed star
 * Visualize a number. Start with a single digit number, then a double digit number, and three digit number and so on. Keep the largest number you can in focus.
 * Visualize your favorite meal. Smell it. Taste it. Experience it in as much detail as you can.

Mindfulness #4: Visualization - The Golden Sun

 * When deeply relaxed, with closed eyes and breathing deeply. ..
 * Imagine a golden sphere of energy in the center of your chest near your heart.
 * As you breath in, imagine the sphere growing and expanding.
 * As you continue to breath in, imagine the sphere growing and expanding through all parts of your body.
 * Finally, imagine the sphere radiating from your body out into the world.

Mindfulness #5: Visualization - The Chakra Ball
> When deeply relaxed, with closed eyes and breathing deeply. ..
 * Feel a golden ball of light above your head. Breathe through this light, and feel it growing and expanding.
 * Feel a golden ball of light move to your throat. Breathe through this light, and feel it growing and expanding.
 * And then similarly to your stomach (solar plexus). ..
 * And your pelvis. ..
 * And your feet. ..
 * Feel all of the energy centers as balls of light. Breathe deeply.
 * Then feel the energy pool up at your feet, and breathe it in as you feel it come up your body.
 * As you exhale, feel the energy coming from your head, cascading down all around you like a fountain.

Mindfulness #6: Visualization - The Quiet Temple
> When deeply relaxed, with closed eyes and breathing deeply. . . >
 * Imagine yourself walking through a busy yet smallish town. . .as you leave the town centre you enter a natural landscape . . . grassland, a forest, a seaside...
 * As you walk through the landscape, you arrive at a silent temple/monastery/convent where no words have ever been spoken.
 * Take a seat in this temple, your temple, your quiet place. Imagine as many details about the temple as you can... the walls, the floors, the tables... etc
 * When you're ready to return, go through nature. . .to the town. . .carrying the inner peace with you.

Mindfulness #7: Visualization - Talking with Your Inner Guide
> When deeply relaxed, with closed eyes and breathing deeply. ..
 * Go to the quiet temple and rest.
 * Once there, you see a radiant light coming towards you and a figure appears. This figure is your guide.
 * What does your guide look like? Sound like? Imagine them in as much detail as you can. (Note: if your guide looks more like an inner critic, gently thank them and ask them to send your inner guide.)
 * Thank your guide for coming, and ask any questions you have. Listen patiently for an answer. (If there is no answer, trust that it will appear at another time.)
 * Thank your guide for coming and watch them go away, again as a radiant light.
 * Rest in your inner sanctuary, and when you're ready leave your sanctuary and return to normal waking consciousness.

Mindfulness #8: Visualization - Talking with Your Future Self
> When deeply relaxed, with closed eyes and breathing deeply. . . >> Visualize a beam of light coming into the room around you. As you step into the beam of light, it raises you above the temple. . . up and up and up into space unit you can see the world below.
 * Go to your quiet temple and rest.
 * In space it's quiet... warm, and you can see the entire world. Rest here a while.
 * When you're ready, return back down the beam until you return to your quiet temple.
 * When you return, you find a version of your future self - 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years later. Your future self is wise and joyful.
 * Ask your future self a question.
 * Your future self has a gift for you as well. What is it?
 * When you're ready, thank your future self and watch them go away as they step into the radiant beam of light

Mindfulness #9: Visualization - Finding Your Gifts
When deeply relaxed, with closed eyes and breathing deeply. ..
 * Imagine yourself walking through nature, and a path appears before you.
 * You see people and things on the side of the path, trying to distract you. They do all manner of things, but they cannot come onto your path.
 * Walk down the path, and feel their tug, but continue on your path.
 * At the end of the path, you see a symbol or an image. What is it? Walk up to it and see it as clearly as you can. Spend some time with it. Ask your image any questions you may have. Listen for answers.
 * When you are ready, open your eyes and write down your experience.