4 Mindfulness Meditations to help you through the day
Photo by Andressa Voltolini on Unsplash
Mindfulness has solved a lot of my problems...a lot! Try a mindfulness meditation as part of your daily routine, or practice it when you're just needed relief from the stress of the world. Mindfulness is all about observing the present moment with intention, and non-judgmentally. You can practice mindfulness for a moment, a few minutes, or even a more formal 10-20 minute sit down practice. Below are 4 mindfulness meditations to help you through the day:
- Head to toe relaxation. I like to start my morning meditations with this short exercise as a means of getting in-tune with my body. Close your eyes and focus on your body. Focus on relaxing every part of your body, relaxing your face, jaw, throat, chest and stomach. You'll be surprised at how much tension you were holding in your body. Notice the difference before the exercise and after.
- Scented mindfulness. Burn some incense, diffuse essential oil, or put on a calming scented hand lotion, close your eyes and tune into the scent. Fully immerse yourself in exploring every note of the scent you're inhaling. Observe the full experience of that scent, how it affects your body, mind, emotions, and energy.
- Observe your thoughts about the situation. If you're feeling frustrated, hopeless, angry, annoyed, or resentful. Stop and observe your thoughts about the situation. We often tell ourselves stories about events. Everything is neutral. It's our story or expectations that make us perceive the event as either positive or negative. Just stopping and noticing the stories you're telling yourself about the situation can illuminate your biases and liberate you from them.
- Place a hand on your heart. Place one or both hands on your heart and just breathe. Notice how the simple act of placing your hand(s) on your heart affect your energy. Do you feel grounded? Do you feel vulnerable?