Mindfulness Exercises
Mindfulness exercises when practiced on a regular basis make us more aware about our thought patterns, and rejuvenates our emotional and physical health. Some mindfulness exercises have been mentioned in this article...
Mindfulness exercises have evolved from Buddhist traditions and eastern practices of meditation. They have been devised to declutter the mind from its daily chores of mechanical living. Through the mindfulness exercises we can learn to focus our awareness/consciousness on the present moment without judging the thoughts that come in our mind. It's about letting the present become a reality in total consciousness and total awareness. There are various mindfulness exercises that have been presented in this article and we must have heard and practiced them very often in our daily lives. These brain exercises can be used for group practices or at an individual level.
Mindfulness Exercises for Groups
Practicing group meditation is one of the most effective mindfulness exercises for groups. According to researchers, meditation in groups is often very effective for beginners as the environment created in groups is perfect for everyone to meditate. Meditation is a mental activity that helps us to revitalize our minds. Just like exercise is necessary for our physical health, meditation is necessary for our mental health. Although meditation requires time and effort for proper command over it, benefits of meditation are immense and they help our mind to be aware and focused in daily lives. Some meditation techniques have been briefed up below:
- Quieten the Mind: Every passing second innumerable thoughts pass through our minds. By quietening the mind, one focuses all his attention away from daily problems and issues of life. Neither thoughts in the mind are resisted nor are allowed to occupy the brain completely. One just witnesses the thoughts without judging them. Just letting the mind be still is the key for this exercise. Even if thoughts come, let them not interfere with your meditation. Just watch them. As you distance yourself and watch them, slowly they will subside and one can experience serenity and peace of mind.
- Focus on Your Breathing: While watching the mind helps one to learn basic awareness skills, focusing on some object for some period of time helps us to increase our focus. Sit quietly and relax your mind by breathing deeply. After some time, just watch your breath with awareness while you inhale and exhale. As your awareness increases, your breathing system will be steady and you will be able to feel relaxed and focused.
There have been various mindfulness exercises devised for adults, however there are also various mindfulness exercises for kids that can be effectively trained to them. Since adults have benefited from clinical and medical observations of these exercises, children too can get benefited from such exercises. Since training children is a bit difficult, as they may get easily frustrated or distracted, they should be taught mindfulness exercises in groups. Children must be firstly made to practice simple breathing exercises that will help them to establish a proper platform for further practices.
- Awareness About Breathing: Children may have never paid attention to the most basic function of our body, and so it is good to start mindfulness exercises that makes them aware about their breathing patterns. Children must be taught to focus on their breath and not to change the rhythm, hold and inhale/exhale breath forcefully. Awareness must be the main focus. They can be asked to count 1, 2, 3... with every breath they inhale and exhale. This will keep them focused on this task.
- Awareness About Thoughts: After children are aware about the present moment, their focus can be shifted to their thoughts and feelings. They can be asked to watch their rising thoughts and feelings without making any judgment or getting distracted by them.
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