{"id":7312,"date":"2018-05-14T00:00:16","date_gmt":"2018-05-14T04:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hancockregionalhospital.org\/?p=7312"},"modified":"2018-05-14T00:00:16","modified_gmt":"2018-05-14T04:00:16","slug":"mindfulness-exercises-to-do-just-about-anywhere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hancockhealth.org\/ja\/2018\/05\/mindfulness-exercises-to-do-just-about-anywhere\/","title":{"rendered":"\u3069\u3053\u3067\u3082\u3067\u304d\u308b\u30de\u30a4\u30f3\u30c9\u30d5\u30eb\u30cd\u30b9\u30a8\u30af\u30b5\u30b5\u30a4\u30ba"},"content":{"rendered":"
Getting started with mindfulness is easy. You don\u2019t need to go anywhere special, or wear anything special, or buy anything special. In fact, one of the simplest and most effective mindfulness exercises involves a single raisin. Just one. (And you can use just about any other small piece of food if you don\u2019t happen to have a raisin on hand, or if you happen to hate raisins. Some people do.)<\/p>\n

Begin by looking at the raisin. Examine its shape, its color\u2014is it the same all the way around? Next, explore it with your senses of touch and smell. When was the last time you smelled a raisin? It\u2019s probably been a long time.<\/p>\n

Listen to the raisin if you feel like it. (We don\u2019t think you\u2019ll hear much of anything, but who knows?) Then slowly taste, chew, and swallow the raisin, paying attention to what happens, and how you feel, during each separate step. Finally, explore how you feel having completed this.<\/p>\n

What is Mindfulness?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The basic idea of mindfulness is pretty simple:<\/a> Attend to your thoughts and feelings, to your body and your breathing, and to what\u2019s happening in and around you\u2014and feel better in mind and body.<\/p>\n

It sounds easy. And for the most part, it is. And there\u2019s plenty of research<\/a> to show that mindfulness reduces stress, increases memory and focus, and boosts our happiness and self-esteem. So why don\u2019t we end this mindfulness lesson and get started? Good time for a raisin or two, right?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing: It\u2019s also easy to get off track. To start thinking, or worrying, about the past or the future. To let our thoughts fly off to other places, then back again, then off to something else. That\u2019s the opposite of mindfulness.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s going to happen when you\u2019re practicing mindfulness, so we should talk about ways to re-center our minds when it does.<\/p>\n

Mindful Breathing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Our breathing is a direct link between our physical and mental state\u2014so it makes sense to be mindful of our breathing. It\u2019s also something we always have with us, so it\u2019s easy to bring our attention to it in just about any situation.<\/p>\n

\u306b practice mindful breathing<\/a>, you essentially focus consciously on inhaling and exhaling\u2014and avoid shallow breathing. Some find that it helps to breathe deeply, especially when starting the practice, but if it becomes distracting, ease off. Counting during your breathing can also be helpful. The following approach is often recommended: three seconds in (through your nostrils), hold for two seconds, four seconds out (through your mouth). But adjust this for your own comfort.<\/p>\n

The important thing, again, is to pay attention. Counting is just one option. You can also attend to how your breath feels, where in your body you feel it, or visualize something happening as you breathe.<\/p>\n

As you do this\u2014for five to seven minutes at a time, at least to start\u2014attend also to your wandering mind. When your mind wanders, you haven\u2019t failed. Simply notice it, then try to draw your attention back to your breathing.<\/p>\n

Mindful Observation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Despite our fancy electronic devices and complicated social rituals, we humans are natural beings. Mindfulness can put us back in touch with the natural world.<\/p>\n

To try this, follow these steps:<\/p>\n