Mindfulness and Relaxation
Mindfulness is a simple way of bringing our attention to what is happening in the present moment. It can help us become more aware of our thoughts, feelings and physical sensations without immediately judging or reacting to them.
When life feels busy or overwhelming, our minds can spend a great deal of time thinking about the past, worrying about the future or trying to work out what might happen next. Mindfulness gives us an opportunity to pause and reconnect with what is happening right now.
Relaxation practices can complement mindfulness by giving the body and mind an opportunity to slow down and settle.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness isn't about stopping your thoughts or trying to empty your mind. Thoughts will naturally come and go.
Instead, mindfulness involves noticing what is happening in the present moment and gently bringing your attention back when you notice your mind has wandered.
You might notice:
• the sensations in your body
• your breathing
• sounds around you
• what you can see
• emotions that are present
• thoughts passing through your mind
The aim isn't to judge these experiences as good or bad. It is simply to notice them with curiosity and kindness.
Being Present
Sometimes we can become so caught up in our thoughts that we miss what is happening around us.
Try taking a moment to look around you. Notice five things you can see. Listen for three sounds. Notice the feeling of your feet on the floor or the chair supporting you.
You don't have to change anything. Simply notice.
These small moments of awareness can be incorporated into ordinary activities such as having a cup of tea, walking outside, gardening, showering or sitting quietly.
A Simple Mindfulness Practice
Find a comfortable position and allow yourself a few quiet minutes.
Begin by noticing what you can see and hear around you.
Then bring your attention to your body. Notice whether you are holding tension anywhere. You might notice your shoulders, jaw, hands or stomach.
There is no need to force yourself to relax. Simply notice what is there.
Bring your attention to your breathing and notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
If thoughts arise, that's okay. Notice the thought and gently bring your attention back to what you can see, hear, feel or breathe.
When you are ready, take a moment to notice how you feel before returning to what you were doing.
Five Breaths, Five Scenes
This short mindfulness video combines breathing with calming scenes from nature. It can be used as a simple opportunity to pause, slow down and bring your attention into the present moment.
Mindfulness and Your Thoughts
Mindfulness doesn't mean getting rid of difficult thoughts.
Instead, it can help us notice thoughts as thoughts rather than automatically treating every thought as a fact.
For example, you might notice:
"I'm having the thought that something is going to go wrong."
rather than:
"Something is definitely going to go wrong."
This small shift can create some space between you and your thoughts, allowing you to choose how you would like to respond.
Relaxation
Relaxation is different for everyone. For some people it might mean sitting quietly, listening to music or practising mindfulness. For others it might be walking, gardening, painting, spending time in nature or doing something creative.
Relaxation doesn't necessarily mean doing nothing. It can mean giving yourself time away from demands and allowing your nervous system an opportunity to settle.
You might like to experiment with creating a small daily relaxation ritual. Even five or ten minutes can provide an opportunity to pause.
Mindful Activities
Mindfulness doesn't have to involve sitting still with your eyes closed.
You can practise mindfulness while doing everyday activities.
Mindful walking
Notice the movement of your body, your feet touching the ground, the air on your skin and the sights and sounds around you.
Mindful eating
Slow down and notice the colours, textures, smells and flavours of your food.
Mindful gardening
Notice the texture of the soil, the smell of the plants, the sounds around you and the sensation of your hands as you work.
Mindful creativity
When drawing, painting or creating something, allow yourself to become absorbed in the activity rather than worrying about the finished result.
Mindfulness When You Feel Overwhelmed
When emotions are strong, it can be difficult to sit quietly and meditate. At these times, a grounding exercise may be more helpful.
Try looking around and naming:
5 things you can see
4 things you can touch or feel
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
This can help bring your attention away from racing thoughts and back to your immediate surroundings.
If this exercise doesn't feel helpful, you can simply focus on one thing you can see, one thing you can hear and the feeling of your feet on the ground.
Mindfulness Is a Practice
There is no need to be "good" at mindfulness.
Your mind will wander. You may become distracted, impatient or restless. That's completely normal.
Each time you notice that your attention has wandered and gently bring it back, you are practising mindfulness.
Start small. A few mindful moments throughout the day can be just as meaningful as setting aside a longer period of time.
Mindfulness and Counselling
Mindfulness and relaxation techniques can be useful tools for developing greater awareness of thoughts, emotions and patterns of responding.
In counselling, we can explore practical strategies that may help you manage stress, anxiety, emotional overwhelm and difficult life experiences. Mindfulness may be one of several tools we explore, depending on what feels appropriate for you.
I offer online counselling sessions for individuals and relationships across Australia. If you would like to learn more about counselling or discuss whether counselling may be helpful for you, please get in touch - 0408 792 747.
