By this point, you probably know that to change your life, you must change your perspective. One of the clearest and most effective ways I've found to do that is by practicing Mindfulness.
Many people think that "Mindfulness" means that you have to sit down and meditate for any hour each day. This simply isn't true. Mindfulness is simply the practice of being present with whatever you're doing in the moment. True Mindfulness is most effective when we practice daily, as often as possible.
While practicing Mindfulness in each moment is essential, we can expand our perception further by introducing our brain and soul to new, mindful experiences. Trying different exercises can help us tap into *how* we can tap into the present moment in totally new ways.
Today I'd like to introduce an exercise I use in my "Emotional Resilience" workshop. It's called 'Expanded Listening'. It will challenge you to listen in entirely new ways which should help you show up to each moment of your life in a more expansive way. (Get the free audio download here.)
1) Find a quiet place to sit, stand or lie down.
2) Breath slowly in through your nose... and let the air go, slowly, through your mouth. As you breathe in, fill your core with fresh, healing air. As you breathe out, release what is not serving you.
3) Continue breathing. Breathing in, health... Breathing out, release. Do this for 3 minutes.
4) As you continue to breathe quietly, notice the sounds of your body. Are your bones creaking as you shift? Is your stomach digesting audibly? How does your breath sound moving in and out of your body? Sink into these sounds for a couple minutes.
5) Now, move your awareness into the room. What sounds are present here? Is the refrigerator running? Do you hear footsteps? Is the heater gently whirring? Be present with the sounds in the room.
6) Next, move your awareness to outside the room or building you are in. What do you hear? Are their lawnmowers going in the distance? Are birds chirping outside? Do the voices of passers-by float in to you? Sit with the sounds of the outside for a couple minutes.
7) Now, move your consciousness further out. How far can you hear? What are the very distant sounds making their way to your ears? Perhaps a train passes. Maybe school children a couple blocks down are shrieking in delight. Be present with those sounds.
8) Now bring your awareness back to your breath. Listen to the long waves of breath as they move through your nose, down your throat and fill your core. Listen as the breath comes back out into the Universe.
9) Slowly bring yourself present to your other senses. Come present to the room, fully. How was this mindfulness exercise for you?
How did this exercise feel? Were there any surprises as you tried this?
What Mindfulness practices do you use? Feel free to share in the comments below.