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Mindfulness for Health: Guided mindfulness meditations
Chapters
Introduction - Bodyscan - Mindfulness of Breathing - Positive Emotion
Mindfulness of Breathing
A traditional way of giving the mind a ‘focus’, an object of attention is to rest our attention on our breathing, as it comes in and out of the body, breathing in and breathing out. Here is a version of a traditional ‘mindfulness of breathing’ meditation, where counting is also used, and in the first two stages we can, if we want to, count the breaths.
In the first stage of this meditation we simply rest our attention on our breathing, breathing in and breathing out count ‘one’, breathing in and breathing out count ‘two’, breathing in and breathing out count ‘three’ and so on, until we have counted ten breaths. In the second stage of the meditation, rather than count at the end of each breath, we count at the beginning of each breath — which requires just a little more attention.
Remember that this is the mindfulness of ‘breathing’ meditation — not the mindfulness of ‘counting’, which can become a ‘mechanical’ thing. It is our attention on our breathing that is important. We can, and probably will loose the count, at some stage, from one to ten. It is the breath that is important, not the counting.
In the third stage, if we have been counting in the previous two stages, we drop the counting, and simply rest our attention on the breath, the whole of the breath, as it enters and leaves the body, breathing in and breathing out.
In the fourth stage, we rest our attention on the place where we have the sensation of the breath first entering the body (usually) the tip of the nose or the upper lip.
Full instructions are given on the Video.
Show video: Mindfulness of Breathing
The mindfulness of breathing practice can be particularly helpful if we have a restless, active mind with a lot of thinking, as this practice can help quieten and calm the mind. In fact studies have shown that regularly practicing the mindfulness of breathing for two months can improve anxiety, and result in higher levels of perceived calm and contentment. Mindfulness of breathing methods are now standard treatments in helping patients with chronic pain, depression, insomnia and even terminal illnesses.
“One, three, seven, five
Nothing to rely on in this or any world
Night time falls and the water is flooded with moonlight
Here in the Dragon’s jaws
Many exquisite jewels.”
Setcho Juken
Other resources
CALM (Computer Assisted Learning for the Mind - Guided meditations), University of Auckland.
Body Scanning This guided meditation practice helps us to develop habits of greater ease and awareness of the body. Adopting a comfortable posture, lying down or sitting, we scan through the whole body with our awareness, using the breath to let go of areas of pain and tension.
“Do not worry about your life ... Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ... Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough ...”
Gospel of Matthew – 6:25-43
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