(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
Mindfulness Exercise #1
(sitting) take an inward focus, notice your posture, relax your
shoulders, sit up straight, feet on floor, hands relaxed in lap, notice
your breathing, count your breaths with inhalation and exhalation—“one,
one; two, two; etc. up to ten then start over, see what you notice; if
you notice your mind wandering, make note of what it focuses on—
thoughts, sensations, emotions. Some practitioners including Thich Nhat
Hanh, advocates the use of a phrase to help focus the mind, for example
“I am breathing in a long breath, I am breathing out a long breath” or
“I am calming my mind as I inhale…” or “I am releasing my tension as I
inhale…”
Mindfulness Exercise #2
(sitting up straight, inward focus, one hand on abdomen below belly
button and one on upper chest, slow deep breaths, notice if chest or
abdomen expands, try abdominal breathing, noticing if inhalation or
exhalation takes longer, noticing any pauses, try slowing down
exhalation slightly more than inhalation…. if dizzy, lightheaded,
tingling in hands, feet, around lips; feelings of uncertainty this may
indicate “over-breathing,” hyperventilation from shallow rapid
breathing. Pause and then start breathing more slowly, especially
prolonging the exhalation phase. Notice the flow. Notice your thoughts,
sensations and feelings. Notice if there are any recurrent ones. Notice
if your mind wanders to memories of the past or thoughts of the future
that for that cause you to lose connection with your present
experience. Notice if your breathing changes (or any other physical
sensations change) as your thoughts change… notice if you feel more
relaxed and less physical tension as you breathe slowly and esp. slow
on the exhalation; notice if when you refocus off of negative thoughts
onto your breath if it slows and your emotion changes)
Mindfulness Exercise #3
Inward focus, sitting up straight, shoulders relaxed, notice your
breathing. Take slow abdominal breaths, slowly and gently roll your
head in small circles in one direction, then the other. Return to
neutral. Roll your shoulders forward in gentle slow circles, then
reverse the direction. Return to a relaxed position. Notice your
breathing, notice your posture, and notice your heart. Focus your
attention on your torso, then your spine, then your legs and feet, then
your arms and hands. Pause anywhere you notice tension and try to allow
it to relax on exhalation. Consider the use of a sound, word or
affirmation to focus on, such as, “I am relaxing in this moment,”
during exhalation. Consider the use of a visual image or sensation,
such as imagining inhaling clear fresh air and energy into the abdomen
and exhaling tension along with the spent breath.