Breathing consciously is one way of staying mindful. Conscious breathing calms the body and relaxes the mind. What could be more important than that… as you go about your day, taking care of work projects, family, chores. No additional time is needed to do this exercise because you are already breathing… Its a conscious breathing activity.
This conscious breathing exercise below by Thich Nhat Hahn, a buddhist monk, is one of my favorites. It is simple to practice anywhere. You can do it for 1 minute or give yourself more time. You say the following words silently while breathing in and out.
Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing Out, I smile
Dwelling in the present moment
I know this is a wonderful moment
Within a few minutes a shift can be felt. Tension subsides. Muscles in the face relax. Peace and happiness are a breath closer. Cultivating awareness in this nourishing way is transformative and healing.
Peace,
Shobhna
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This is so true. We breathe all the time, involuntarily, so we may as well make use of it to our advantage (aside from staying alive).
Thanks for commenting…sure is a double bonus to use our breath for nourishment..
You are welcome! Yes, it is 🙂