Mindful awareness exercise

This awareness exercise will assist in bringing you into the present moment, clearing the mind and creating the space for reflection and creative thinking.

In the following exercise you use your senses to be free of any thoughts and feelings about the past or future. Concentration on each sense is a way of focusing the mind on the present moment and being free of mental chatter.

The exercise does call for you to close your eyes so first take time to familiarise yourself with it. You could even record it and play it through headphones.

• If comfortable for you, first close your eyes.
• Be aware of where you are right now…
• Feel the weight of the body on the chair.
• Feel you feet on the floor.
• Feel the gentle pressure of the clothes on the skin.
• Feel the play of air on the hands and face.
• Let the legs relax, let the arms relax and let the middle part of the body relax.
• Let the face relax.
• Become aware of taste.
• Be aware of colour and form through your eyes whether they are open or closed.
• Become aware of the smell of the air as you breathe in through your nose.
• Now become aware of listening. Become aware of sounds close by…and sounds far away.
• Now listen to the farthest sounds possible.
• Rest in this awareness for a while - just listening.

This is a useful exercise to do during the day. It is an excellent break before activities, at lunch, when you are waiting for someone or on the bus or train going to or from work. If you make this exercise a regular habit you will find your day is much clearer, less stressful and your actions and words more effective.