Maintaining Mindfulness

These are some simple exercises to center yourself and connect with your environment. Practice it throughout the
day, especially any time you find yourself getting caught up in your thoughts and feelings.

Mindfulness in your morning routine
Pick an activity that constitutes part of your daily morning routine, such as brushing your teeth, shaving, or
having a shower. When you do it, totally focus on what you are doing: the body movements, the taste, the
touch, the smell, the sight, the sound etc.

For example, when you’re in the shower, notice the sounds of the water as it sprays out of the nozzle, and
as it hits your body as it gurgles down the hole. Notice the temperature of the water, and the feel of it in your
hair, and on your shoulders, and running down our legs. Notice the smell of the soap and shampoo, and
the feel of them against your skin. Notice the sight of the water droplets on the walls or shower screen,
the water dripping down your body and the steam rising upwards. Notice the movements of your arms as
you wash or scrub or shampoo.

When thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them be, and bring your attention back to the shower.
Again and again, your attention will wander. As soon as you realize this has happened, gently acknowledge
it, note what distracted you, and bring your attention back to the shower.


Notice Five Things
1. Pause for a moment

2. Look around, and notice five things you can see.

3. Listen carefully, and notice five things you can hear.

4. Notice five things you can feel in contact with your body. (E.g. your watch against your wrist, your
trousers against your legs, the air upon your face, your feet upon the floor, your back against the
chair etc) (great for grounding if having flashbacks)

Take Ten Breaths
1. Throughout the day, pause for a moment and take ten slow, deep breaths. Focus on breathing out as
slowly as possible, until the lungs are completely empty, and breathing in using your diaphragm.

2. Notice the sensations of your lungs emptying and your ribcage falling as you breathe out. Notice the
rising and falling of your abdomen.

3. Notice what thoughts are passing through your mind. Notice what feelings are passing through your
body.

4. Observe those thoughts and feelings without judging them as good or bad, and without trying to change
them, avoid them, or hold onto them. Simply observe them.

5. Notice what it’s like to observe those thoughts and feelings with an attitude of acceptance.

Watching Thoughts Drift By Instructions
Just get in a comfortable position in your chair. Sit upright with your feet flat on the floor, your arms and legs uncrossed, and your hands resting in your lap, palms up or down, whichever is more comfortable. Allow your eyes to close gently [pause 10 seconds].

Take a few moments to get in touch with the physical sensations in your body, especially the sensations of touch or pressure where your body makes contact with the chair or floor [pause 10 seconds].

It is okay for your mind to wander away to thoughts, worries, images, bodily sensations, or feelings. Notice these thoughts and feelings and acknowledge their presence. Just observe passively the flow of your thoughts, one after another, without trying to figure out their meaning or their relationship to one another. As best you can, bring an attitude of allowing and gentle acceptance to your experience. There is nothing to be fixed. Simply allow your experience to be your experience, without needing it to be other than what it is [pause 15 seconds].

Now, please imagine sitting next to a stream [pause 10 seconds]. As you gaze at the stream, you notice a number of leaves on the surface of the water. Keep looking at the leaves and watch them slowly drift downstream from left to right [pause 15 seconds].

Now, when thoughts come along into your mind, put each one on a leaf, and observe as each leaf comes closer to you. Then watch it slowly moving away from you, eventually drifting out of sight. Return to gazing at the stream, waiting for the next leaf to float by with a new thought [pause 10 seconds]. If one comes along, again, watch it come closer to you and then let it drift out of sight. Think whatever thoughts you think and allow them to flow freely on each leaf, one by one. Imagine your thoughts floating by like leaves down a stream [pause 15 seconds].

You can also allow yourself to take the perspective of the stream, just like in the chessboard exercise. Being the stream, you hold each of the leaves and notice the thought that each leaf carries as it sails by. You need not interfere with them—just let them flow and do what they do [pause 15 seconds].

When you are ready, let go of those thoughts and gradually widen your attention to take in the sounds around you in this room [pause 10 seconds]. Take a moment to make the intention to bring this sense of gentle allowing and self-acceptance into the present moment and when you are ready, slowly open your eyes.