Mental Health Awareness Month | Week 4 Blog by Dr. Sabina Mauro
With mindful breath awareness, your breath is an ally and guide to the present moment. It is a simple remedy that is always available. Every breath provides an opportunity to reset. Each inhaled breath is a chance to begin again, and each exhale is a chance to let go of what is consuming your attention. Remember that you can restart your day at any time with a mindful breathing exercise, like the one below. Also remember that you can restart this exercise if you start and your mind wanders. This takes practice.
*It may be best to read this mindfulness breathing exercise first so that you can become familiar with it.
- Find a comfortable position. Close your eyes (maybe not the first time) or lower your gaze, whichever feels more comfortable. Set an intention that is personal to you. An intention that is positive and meaningful to you. It can be about anything.
- To begin, shift your attention to you.
- Notice that you are safe in your environment.
- Recognize that your breath is a reminder that you are alive. Notice that when one breath ends, the next breath begins.
- Notice that your breath is your clue to what is happening inside your mind and body. Is your breathing deep or relaxed or is it shallow and quick? Just notice this.
- As you take each breath, notice that you are allowing yourself a new start to the moment.
- As you let out each breath, notice you are letting go of what is pulling your attention away at this current moment.
- Stay here for about 2 minutes. If your mind wanders, acknowledge it simply by saying “thinking” or “wandering” and shift it back to your breathing.
- Notice where you feel your breath in your body. It might be in your chest, abdomen, throat, or nostrils. Just notice this.
- As you take each breath, notice that you are allowing yourself a new start to the moment.
- As you let out each breath, notice you are letting go of what is pulling your attention away at this current moment.
- Stay here for about 2 minutes. If your mind wanders, acknowledge it simply by saying “thinking” or “wandering” and shift it back to your breathing.
- Repeat steps 6 – 12 with each repetition of the process begin to breath deeper and slower.
- Once you have repeated the steps and feel you have brought yourself to the present moment remember your intention and thank yourself for allowing yourself to be here and present with yourself.
Upon completion, reflect and notice if your breath has brought you to the present and bring this presence to the rest of your day. As a reminder, success does not come after one try. The more you practice, the better you become at controlling your breathing. Many people find greater success journaling about their experience with this exercise as it can bring added benefits.
If you want to continue to practice mindful breathing, or learn more about mindful breathing, here are some resources:
Applications (Apps)
- Calm: This app can help you build a habit of mindfulness
- Balance: This app can help reduce stress through personalized meditation
- Insight Timer: This app offers guided meditations with a focus on sleep, mental health, peak productivity, and spiritual health
Ted Talks
- Tedx Talk: Five Minutes Can Change Your Life
- Tedx Talk: Breathe to Heal
Websites
Books
- Practicing Mindfulness: 75 Essential Meditations to Reduce Stress, Improve Mental Helth, and Find Peace in Everyday by Matthew Sockolov
- Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn
As we say goodbye to mindfulness breathing, remember that our breath is anchor to the present moment to our mind-body connection and thereby to ourself who we are right now in this moment. When your attention is consumed, you lose sight of the who you are. We should all take some time to get to know ourselves.
