By Allie DeNicola / Guidely
Find Mindfulness and Meditation in 5 Minutes or Less
The idea of having a daily practice of mindfulness and meditation can be daunting to say the least. Most of us are struggling daily to catch up…never mind finding the extra time to devote to a mindfulness or meditation practice. Some of my students find the suggestion of meditating to be a challenge itself- the thoughts begin to race about the day, the long list that’s waiting and the practice itself. Sitting in quiet contemplation while chaos is swirling around you can feel like an insurmountable challenge. Simplify I say, in the words of Lao Tzu;
Try one of these ways to bring a bit of peace into your daily routine:
1. Sit outside in nature
Five minutes outside in nature can be restorative on every level of your being. Find a park bench, grassy spot, or an overlook with moving water (everything from the ocean, a river, lake or city fountain will work). Spend a minute with your eyes closed taking in the sounds around you. Allow your visual senses to retreat and tap into the sense of sound, smell, touch and sensation on the skin. In the next few minutes, as you deepen your breath, take those sounds, scents and sensations into the body beginning at the crown of your head and traveling through the body all the way down to the soles of the feet. Invite the elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space one at a time to restore your body, mind and spirit.
2. Color Breath
Five minutes with the breath can shift your energy- and this can be done first thing in the morning or anytime throughout the day. Sit in a comfortable position, spine long and eyes closed or a soft focus. Begin to notice your breath, deepen the inhale and exhale for a minute. Visualize the breath as a color (see what comes up for you)
Green is healing
Blue is calming
Orange is vitalizing
Yellow is invigorating
Breathe that color into your body, exhale that color. Continue for a few minutes and notice if the color changes, expands. Allow yourself a full minute to “be” that color.
3. Task Meditation
Our daily tasks are the perfect place to bring in a mindfulness practice. Pick one of them, from brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, or folding laundry and allow it to become a mindful task rather than a chore. Allow your awareness to be fully on the task at hand. Notice how you approach the task, allow yourself to do it mindfully and with peace. Give loving attention to your effort, allow yourself to keep the focus on your task and let thoughts that drift in float on by. See how bringing intention to all parts of your life allow it to become richer and happier.
