Mindful In May 2020 | Day 4 - Mind Life Project

Day 4: Mindfulness of the breath

with Mark Coleman

Mindfulness of the breath - 10 minutes

Guest meditation by Mark Coleman

N.B. There is no bell to mark the end of this 10-minute practice. Mark indicates the practice is coming to a close when he says "in the last few moments of the meditation". If you're a more advanced meditator you might like to lie for longer and meditate in silence.

Mind Life Project

Click here to find a library of guided meditations to try.

ABOUT

Mark Coleman is a senior teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California, and has taught insight meditation retreats since 1997 worldwide. Mark is passionate about nature and integrating meditation with the natural world, and leads wilderness retreats internationally through Awake in the Wild retreats. He is the founder of the Mindfulness Institute and has brought mindfulness trainings, consulting and coaching to companies, healthcare and nonprofit organisations across North America. He is author of Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery and Make Peace With Your Mind – How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Help Free You From The Inner Critic.

The Mindful Stop

Mindfulness is not just about sitting silently in meditation. There are many ways we can integrate mindfulness. It is simply the art of remembering to pause and be present to the moment, through the day.

Today try this practice.

The Mindful STOP is a practice that helps you remember to pause, get out of automatic pilot and physically catch your breath throughout the day.

It’s a quick and simple way to remember to connect with yourself, which creates greater potential for presence and wisdom in daily life.

Steps to practising the mindful STOP

S – Stop.

T – Take three mindful breaths, feeling the sensation of the breath as it flows in and out.

O – Observe the body, notice any tension and actively let it go.

P – Proceed with your day.

Set an alarm on your phone to ring at four random times today with the word STOP. You could also write the word STOP on some sticky notes and leave them in places you regularly see, such as the shower, the toilet, on your laptop, or in your car.

When you see these reminders, pause for a few moments to practise the STOP exercise. As you continue to practise the guided meditations each day and the STOP practice this week, remember that …

… the purpose of mindfulness is not to create a particular state of mind, but rather to be aware of whatever state is present.

Just like getting physically fit, you need to commit to the practice to experience the results of a mind that is functioning at its best.

If you’re active in the Facebook community or on Instagram, share what you notice after practising a few STOP's throughout the day.