The Little Book of Mindfulness

Tune In!

5 minutes

The goal of any mindfulness practice is simply to experience life as it unfolds. To stay present and calm and not slip back into thinking/worrying mode, we choose an anchor of awareness - a point of focus we direct our minds to.
Here, you connect to sound, so that you can truly experience the moment, and a whole lot of other moments, with childlike curiosity and without judgement.
Start with 5 minutes and extend to longer sittings if that feels right for you. Find a special spot in a quiet part of your home or garden.

❂ Take a seat. Now gently close your eyes or keep them in soft focus (half-closed).

❂ Allow sounds to enter your awareness and to let them pass, like clouds passing in the sky: sounds from near and far, coming and going. Let go of labelling sounds - a car, a bird, and so on - because as soon as we label, we tend to get involved with stories, which trigger our left (thinking) brain, rather then our right (feeling) brain. All you need to do is be present to sound.

❂ You may notice that your hearing becomes more focused and that other brain activities seem to move into the background of your awareness. At other times, you may notice thoughts arising. This is the nature of the mind; it tends to get busy, even when we don't want it to. So, whenever you notice the mind wandering, gently and with light judgement return your awareness, your mindfulness, to simply listening. This action is your anchor.

❂ You may notice after a few minutes that time seems not to matter any longer; your breathing may get longer and deeper, too. But even if 'nothing' happens and you think you are just sitting here, that is okay. Each practice will unfold differently and each person is unique. There is no right or wrong way of practicing mindfulness.