Start the month off being Mindful in May. In this short practice, we will concentrate on the inhale and exhale using a simple mantra of "breathing in" and "breathing out".
Prepare youself by bring your body into physical alignment. Uncross your legs, have both feet flat on the floor, and let your shoulders fall down and back away from your neck. Prepare your mind by adopting a lens of neutrality and friendliness towards yourself and your practice. Lower your expectations of yourself today and have fun with your practice. You don't have to take yourself or your practice so seriously all the time.
When you are ready, close your eyes and bring your attention to your body, then onto your breath. Follow your in breath and your out breath and begin to mentally repeat the phrases "breathing in" and "breathing out". Notice whenever your attention wanders away from the breath and gently bring yourself back to this new inhale and this new exhale. Repeat the mantra over and over again noticing each time you drift away from the breath.
I hope you find this practice useful in your daily life and encourage you to take a few minutes each day to notice your breath, to bring a playful attention to your mindfulness practice, and to enjoy the process.
Have a Mindful Monday and a Mindful May!
Tanya Gabriel, MA, LMHC provides affordable counseling and mindfulness instruction. She is passionate about teaching present moment awareness to her community.