5 Beautiful Mindfulness Practices

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the moment, learning how to become aware of your thoughts and feelings without distraction or judgement.

How can I practice mindfulness?

Below, I list five mindfulness exercises that you can put into place as often as you need, to ensure you are maintaining presence and learning to be more conscious of your surroundings, enjoying the little moments that bring you peace.

1. The Body Scan
   Lay on a flat surface, whether that be a bed or a yoga mat, so long as you are comfortable. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. On the exhale, feel your body sinking into the surface beneath you. Lay still for 20 seconds, maintaining a steady breathing pattern, then begin to take notice of each and every part of your body. Each time you think of a new body part, try to notice the muscle relax. Start with your toes, working your way up the body, relaxing every muscle and joint. The things we tend to forget include our hips, chin, jaw and tongue. Notice your body feeling grounded, safe, supported and relaxed. Once you have reached the top of your body, stay as relaxed as possible for as long as needed. When you are ready to get up, start by bringing sensation back to each part of your body by wriggling your fingertips, wrists, toes, ankles, knees and finally opening your eyes.
   I personally use this every night to relax myself before bed. I find this incredibly calming, helping me feel more grounded and allowing me to become more aware and grateful for my body and what it has done for me each day.

2. The Thoughts Road
   Find a space that you feel connected and safe, somewhere you won’t get interrupted and can spend five minutes alone. That may be a park bench, your bed, the beach, anywhere you feel comfortable. Take in your surroundings and just sit.
   Imagine there is a highway in your mind. Each new thought is a car. Some cars are rushing around and others are driving at a steady pace. Become a spectator. Each time a new thought comes to mind, place it on the road and watch it drive by.
   This practice is not so much about clearing the mind, but being conscious of your thoughts. There is no need to have a still mind or to be deep in meditation, sit with the thoughts, be conscious of them, but don’t hold on to them.
   We lead such busy lives and there is always something we need to think about, which makes it so hard to clear your mind. This exercise will allow you to process your thoughts without focusing on them.

3. The Candle Study
   Find a candle with a fragrance you enjoy and light it. Sit in front of the candle for 5-10 minutes, watching the flame flicker, the smoke rise, listening to the sound of the wick and the air, watching the pool of wax increase. Take it in and really notice what the candle is doing. Allow thoughts to enter your mind, but consciously let them pass and maintain your connection with the candle.
   This practice will allow you to slow your mind, take in the smell, the sounds and the visuals around you and appreciate the simple beauty of something we generally wouldn’t take the time to appreciate.

4. The Sound Practice
   Play a single note on a piano, guitar, chime, or even find a similar sound on the internet. Really tune in and listen. Notice it’s tone, whether it wavers, take note of it’s length. Now concentrate on that sound. Wait until the sound has completely stopped and you can’t hear a thing at all.
   This can be a really great mindfulness practice to put in place with friends, family or even children. Everyone will hear the noise differently, so when each person thinks the sound has stopped, they can raise their hand. This practice tunes you in to focusing on one thing you can’t control, allowing your mind to really hone in and work hard on tuning your senses to achieve a singular goal.

5. Gratitude Practice
   You’ve all probably heard of or even practiced gratitude, but it is one of the most effective ways to practice mindfulness, especially in a world that is everchanging and unknown. Set aside five minutes in your morning, or even five minutes before bed, to write down three things you feel you are most grateful for. If you do this in the morning, it is a great way to appreciate those things throughout the day and constantly tune in to those thoughts. If you practice this at night, it can be a great way to reflect on your day and how each moment made you feel.
   Another practice I complete with my daughter each night is the Questions Game. We ask each other four questions: What made you feel sad today? What made you feel scared today? What made you feel happy today? What made you feel excited today? We answer these together before bed to allow her to reflect on her day and to validate her emotions, allowing her to understand that we feel these things too. As she is too young to understand the concept of gratitude, this is a great practice to complete daily with young children. And their answers will usually surprise you, showing you how things affected them and allowing you to appreciate their favourite moments.

I hope these mindfulness exercises have given you some new ways to bring mindfulness into your everyday life. It can be hard to find moments of peace, or to feel like you can even sit with your own thoughts. But hopefully something here resonates with you and allows you to broaden your practices, appreciate the things around you and to learn to become fully present and engaged with the current moment.

So much love,

Jess xx