Spot Meditations
The benefits of mindfulness meditation include calming the mind, relaxing the body, improving sleep and focus, and learning to respond to life’s inevitable stressors with greater ease and less reactivity.
Research shows that mini-mindfulness sessions that last around one-minute when enjoyed throughout the day are just as effective as having a daily, hour long sitting meditation practice.
Known as ‘spot meditations’, they are a gentle and practical way of starting to engage with mindfulness practices without the overwhelming pressures of starting with a long, sitting practice, or unrealistic expectations to empty your mind of all thoughts! You simply just have to use what is around you in the moment.
How to apply mindfulness to everyday life by enjoying ‘Spot Meditations’
The simplest place to start is to check in with your senses. This way you can fully tune into the present moment you are experiencing.
When it comes to checking in with your senses:
- Notice what you can see happening around you. Focus on looking at a leaf on a plant or a cloud, perhaps taking in its shape, colour and texture. Or you might want to notice and list 5 things that you can simply see around you.
- Notice what you can smell. Check in with how it makes you feel, if it’s sweet or sour, if it’s pleasant or unusual.
- Notice what you can hear. Check in with what sounds you can hear happening around you. What feels close by, and what feels far away? If there are many sounds then feel free to shift your attention between multiple sounds.
- Notice what you can physically feel happening in your body, or what you can touch with your fingers or underneath your feet.
- Notice what you can taste. Consider whether it is pleasant or sharp.
- While doing this you’re welcome to check into your thoughts and emotional state, and try to have a sense of curiosity and compassion, rather than judgement or control, of what types of thoughts are passing through your mind.
When we focus on not multi-tasking, everyday, seemingless mundane tasks are rich with moments we can explore mindfully using our senses. Great opportunities for practising mindfulness include: when washing the dishes, cooking, brushing your teeth, when on the phone waiting on hold, when sitting in traffic or waiting for public transport, when working or studying or when catching up with a friend.
Think of a few seconds of mindfulness is like a seed that can grow into more moments of calm that you can enjoy later in your day.
Wise words from Alice - ex Patient Advocate
Counsellor - Psychotherapist - Meditation Teacher
BA; GradDipPsych; MACouns;
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