How often do you find your mind jumping from one thought to the next? Or that you switch between tasks (or multitask)? Or your mind races through things without focus?
Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without judgement. In mindfulness practices, we focus on using something as an “anchor.” An anchor can be the physical sensations in our body, awareness of breath or sound, or something else. During these practices, you may notice your attention drifting to other thoughts, which is totally normal! By simply returning your attention to your anchor each time it wanders, you are accepting your experience without elaboration, judgement or resistance. And that in itself is mindfulness.
Mindfulness of breathing is paying attention to each breath as it comes and goes, with a kind curiosity, as well as noticing the sensations of the breath in the body. You don’t need to change the breath or breathe in any particular way, just notice it. As you do, you may notice a natural slowing or deepening of the breath. In a mindfulness of breath practice, you may focus on where you feel the breath the most in the body, or where it feels most pleasant as it comes in and out, such as at the nostrils, the back of the throat, in the belly or chest, or somewhere else. It is also possible you may not notice a sensation of the breath at all, and that is okay, too.
I invite you to join me in this 7-minute mindfulness of breathing practice:
If focusing on the breath does not feel like a supportive practice, you can practice using another anchor (sound, physical sensation, etc.). If you are interested in additional meditation practices or other Whole Health experiences, check out our other #LiveWholeHealth posts.
More resources
Another tool for accessing mindfulness practices is the free Mindfulness Coach app. This app provides users with education about mindfulness, a self-assessment for mindfulness mastery, a training plan and exercises that can help users build a daily mindfulness practice, and opportunities to find support.
Interested in mindfulness meditation and other complementary and integrative health services that may be available at your local VA? Reach out to your local Whole Health Facility Point of Contact.
