Introduction to Mindfulness - Dean Amory

the present moment and the task at hand, as a way of concluding the
exercise and continuing, mindfully, with daily activity.
The following brief exercise incorporates elements from several
mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies:
1. Begin by stopping whatever you were doing, stepping out of
“autopilot”, and becoming aware of what you’re experiencing in the
present moment, particularly any unpleasant thoughts or feelings you
may have the urge to struggle with or avoid
2. Gather or focus your attention on the sensations of your breathing,
in the present moment, as you’ve done in longer mindfulness
meditation exercises, while also willingly accepting any unpleasant
feelings, by imagining your breath flowing through them, creating a
sense of space around them and observing their properties in a
detached way
3. Conclude by expanding your awareness gradually, throughout your
body as a whole, and finally back to your environment and any tasks
at hand, in the present moment, before slowly and mindfully
resuming any activities you’re engaged in
If it helps, give yourself verbal instructions like, “Even though I don’t
like these feelings I’m going to actively accept them and observe what
happens…” or “Let go of the struggle and accept…” You may also
find it helpful to repeat a short word of your choosing (e.g., “one”),
in your mind, each time you exhale. This can serve the dual purpose
of acting as a “centring device” for your attention while also
functioning as a cue-word to help you rapidly recall the state of
mindfulness from previous exercises.
You can practice this briefly, for about ten seconds, or turn it into a
longer meditation, perhaps lasting 10-20 minutes, if necessary.
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