Wednesday, March 2, 2016

How To Practice Mindfulness: A Quick Exercise



How was your mindful eating practice? Were you able to focus on what, and how you were eating? If you did, even if it was for 30 seconds, it's a success. Pat yourself on the back. 

Today, I thought I'd share an exercise we can do in the car when we are waiting for the light to turn green. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who was nominated by Martin Luther King Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize, explained this at mindful.org

"...make use of the red light. You can sit back and relax--take the ten seconds the light is red to practice mindful breathing and release the tension in the body. So next time you 're stopped at a red light, you might like to sit back and practice... "Breathing in, I'm aware of my body. Breathing out, I release the tension in my body"  Peace is possible at that moment, and it can be practiced many times a day--in the workplace while you are driving, while you are cooking, while you are doing the dishes... It is always possible to practice releasing the tension in yourself."

What do you think? Is this helpful? Are you an anxious driver or a peaceful one? Let me know! In my case, I can get pretty anxious whenever I'm being late. Otherwise, I tend to remain calm and enjoy the ride. What about you?
Next wellness Wednesday will be about adding kindness to your everyday life. Stay tuned!




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