KINPE-059 [Yoga for Stress Management]

Mindful Meditation - Formal and Informal Practices

Mindfulness Reading: Formal and Informal Practice

OVERVIEW

Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment experience with openness and curiosity with what it is. Mindfulness is cultivated from a formal and informal practice that can be practiced anywhere at anytime. Mindfulness is an art of observation. You're observing your physical, emotion, and mental experiences with deliberate, open and curious attention. The formal practice of mindfulness begins with sitting in a chair, relaxing your body, and having focused attention on your breath, hands, or feet.

Informal mindfulness are the everyday experiences that we have which allow us to stop and reflect on what is happening in the present moment. For example, you may be standing in the grocery store waiting to checkout. Simply, notice your feet on the ground, shift your feet from side to side and notice how subtle the changes are in your body. You may also want to check into your body and see what is present. Do you have an emotion, like stress or anxiety while waiting in line? If that's the case, then notice the emotion and try to be curious about how your body is feeling that anxiety or stress. As you notice it, does it change? Does it get better? Worse?

FORMAL PRACTICES

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

Mindfulness practice begins with your body seated in a comfortable position, feet flat on the floor, body seated upright and comfortable while attention is focused on your breath. Your breath can be focused in your: abdomen, chest, or nostrils. If the breath feels uncomfortable then focus your attention on your hands, or feet, or openness to sound in the room. While focusing on your breath your mind may wander, so gently return your attention to your breath. You may find that labeling your thoughts: "planning", "desire", "thinking", and so forth can help refocus your mind to your present-moment experience.

WALKING MEDITATION

The formal practice of walking meditation is done with your eyes open. Your attention is drawn to your feet and legs. It's very much like mindfulness meditation.

Just take the story out of your head and whatever is going on in your mind and letting it be in the background and focus your attention on your feet and legs.

You need a 15-20-foot space to walk in, either inside or outside. This will be your walking path. Now take a step and keep your attention as closely connected as you can to the sensations in your feet and legs. Notice the movements, weight, heaviness, lightness, tingling, pressure, sensations of all kinds rest here. Begin walking back and forth in a normal pace, or you can try slower paces. You can connect with a pace that allows you to be most aware of your body.

Sometimes slow paces can make us more off balance, so just notice how you feel and what pace is good for you. Walk your path, get to the end of the path stop for a moment and sense yourself standing. What do you notice? Then turn around, feeling the shifting wanders off and drifts into other things, simply notice as you do with breath mediation that your mind has wandered and return your attention to the sensations of walking. You can do this practice for about 5-10 minutes or longer if you choose outside in nature is nice if you have that opportunity.

INFORMAL PRACTICES

ACRONYM- S T O P

Having the practice of mindfulness in your life at any time, and anywhere is a possibility. Mindfulness can be practiced any time of your day using the acronym, STOP.

S= stop what you are doing at that moment

T= take a breath

O= observe your body, observe any areas of tension and try to relax

P= proceed to what you were doing before you stopped.

This informal mindfulness can be practiced several times throughout your day, whether you're at the grocery store, the bank, the mall, at work, or driving in your car. This is a practice that is available to you wherever you go and whatever you're doing.

WALKING MEDITATION AS AN INFORMAL PRACTICE

At any time, you find yourself walking, you can bring your attention to your body, and body sensations with a sense of curiosity. At this same time, you might want to be open to the beauty around while you're walking. I sometimes take photos of nature as I am walking to observe and take in the details of the beauty in a simple walk of nature.

LISTENING AND SPEAKING

A relational practice of listening to the speaker and not speaking until they are finished is a good practice in building positive relationships with: friends, family, and colleagues. This practice allows the speaker to feel that they are valued and appreciated.

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Mindful Meditation-formal and informal

#] For this assignment select and practice two formal and/or informal mindful meditation exercises from the reading. Share three thoughts and/or experiences of your feelings before, during and after.