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My Meditative Moments

Archive for the 'Attending Meditation Exercises' Category

Practice: Phone Rings & Taking Pause

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

Most of us automatically reach for the phone when it rings, answering it as soon as possible. Taking pause with 2-3 mindful breaths before answering the phone can serve as a practical and useful new habit. It’s an opportunity to stop what we are thinking or doing and compose ourselves so that we may give […]

Practice- A Radical Act of Kindness to Ourselves

Friday, October 7th, 2011

[audio:MM-A-Radical-Act-of-Kindness-Audio.mp3] Adapted from “The Mindful Child”~ Susan Kaiser Greenland Before starting this exercise- grab and lay out a folded blanket lengthwise to accommodate the whole of your body lying down. You will also need a pillow to be placed at the head of this blanket. When you are ready, let’s move to lie on the […]

Practice- Settling the Body & Mind: Tactile Awareness

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

[audio:MM-Settling-the-Body-Mind-Audio.mp3] Adapted from “Minding Closely: The Four Applications of Mindfulness”~ B. Alan Wallace This exercise’s primary purpose is to help us relax and settle the body & mind. The body rests in comfort and ease- still as a mountain. The mind rests in non-conceptual awareness as still as space. As is customary in our formal […]

Attention Practice: Aim & Sustain

Wednesday, September 28th, 2011

Take a couple of moments before beginning this practice to just allow the mind to settle and the body to relax naturally. It might help to take 2-3 deep breaths into the belly… When you are ready, start with the inhalation- and aim your attention on the sensation of the movement of air as you […]

Practice: “Fresh Eyes”- The Art of Noticing

Friday, August 12th, 2011

A “beginner’s mind” and seeing with “fresh eyes” is integral to the art of noticing. There are many formal and informal ways we can practice to cultivate this skill- and to help tune our present moment awareness into seeing our direct experience with renewed and curious perspective. Allow yourself here and now a few minutes […]

Gentle Relaxation- Back To Nature

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

Take a couple of quiet minutes here and now out of your busy day. Pause and breathe with this wonderfully simple yet peaceful and relaxing video by artist, Johnnie Lawson. While viewing, expand the video to fill your screen and your awareness.

A Practice in Mindfulness- Being Here & Now with Awareness

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

[audio:MM-A-Practice-in-Mindfulness-Audio.mp3] Let us take a seated posture in our quiet space for this attending exercise- one that is erect & dignified, grounded yet comfortable. When ready, you may gently close your eyes or bring your gaze slightly downward. Grounding into this present moment, we will begin by simply noticing the breath- our inhalations and exhalations- […]

Practice- 2 Minute Deep Relaxation Breath Exercise

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

Take a couple of minutes out of your busy schedule and try this simple breathing exercise. Find a quiet space, and allow yourself this brief opportunity to experience a deep sense of opening and release. Gently close your eyes and slowly connect with your breath- here and now breathing freely and naturally from your abdomen. […]

Exercise- Practice for Emotional Storms

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

[audio:MM-Practice-for-Emotional-Storms-Audio.mp3] Let’s assume a comfortable, solid, and stable position- seated or lying down. When ready, let’s just gently bring our attention to the breath for a couple of minutes in the here and now. The breath is our anchor as we remain still with its flowing nature… “in” and “out”.  As we breathe, let’s bring […]

Exercise- Resting in Awareness: A 3-Minute Mindful Pause

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

[audio:MM-A-3-Minute-Mindful-Pause.mp3] Adapted from “Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief”~ Jon Kabat-Zinn Introduction– This is a wonderfully simple meditation that will allow you to reconnect with yourself whenever necessary- especially in the midst of turmoil or difficulty. It’s a mobile meditation practice that you can have at your disposal wherever you may be, and whenever you may […]