Mindfulness Meditation Centering Activity (additions are in bold)

Purpose: To become centered in the present moment Reduces stress Decreases anxiety Increases self awareness Increases ability to access inner wisdom Caution and Contraindications May provoke strong emotions Attention: Intense thoughts, images and bodily sensations may be contacted Meditation Centering Script: llow yourself to find a comfortable position! wit" your "ead! neck and spine aligned! wit" your arms and legs in a position t"at feels #ust rig"t for you$ Settle yourself comfortably if possible !ou may "ish to close or lo"er your eyes to better contact your thoughts, images and bodily sensations %"en you feel comfortable! let your eyes close$ &et's allow t"is to become a time in w"ic" we let go of our usual way of operating(t"at of constant doing and let's allow t"is to become a time of #ust being(of allowing ourselves to be(and becoming aware of feelings t"at arise as we become still inside( "hen you contact your thoughts, you images and your bodily sensations simply as "hat they are, rather than "hat they so often seem to be (allo" #$ seconds) !ou can choose to notice the "ay your body is being supported by the floor and furniture on "hich it rests Some parts are supported more firmly and some less so !ou can choose to notice edges "here the support emerges %nly a small distance a"ay, the support is no longer present !ou can choose to notice the te&tures against your s'in All these e&periences are present in this moment and in this place and you can choose to ma'e

contact "ith them to ma'e contact "ith them (ust as they are here and no" (allo" #$ seconds) nd so as you allow your body and your mind to become still and )uiet! !ou might also bringing your attention to t"e fact t"at you are your breat"ing ( and becoming aware of t"e movement of t"e breat" as it enters your body, and as it leaves your body not manipulating your breat"ing in any way rig"t now! not trying to c"ange it(simply being aware of it and t"e feelings bodily sensations associated wit" breat"ing( nd if you feel comfortable wit" it! as you continue !ou might choose to notice your in"alation and your ex"alation! noticing your breat" flowing deep down into your belly(feeling t"e abdominal wall as it expands wit" eac" in"alation! and as it relaxes into t"e spine wit" eac" ex"alation( Simply being totally "ere in eac" moment! wit" eac" breat"(not trying to do change anyt"ing($not trying to fi& anything get any place( simply being present, observing wit" eac" breat" you take( (ust as it is *allow + minutes #$ seconds of silence, -iving full care and full attention to eac" in.breat" and to eac" out.breat" as t"ey flow! noticing them (ust as they are here and no" in this moment at this time one after t"e ot"er! in a never.ending! life.giving cycle(*allow + minutes #$ seconds of silence, s you may "ave noticed! from time to time! your mind may wander off into t"oug"ts of t"e past, fantasies, anticipations of t"e future, worrying, memories, w"atever( and (ust as "ith your breath, you may choose to notice each of these (ust as they are Thoughts of the past simply AS thoughts of the past, fantasies simply AS fantasies, anticipations of the future simply AS anticipations of the future, "orrying simply AS "orrying, memories simply AS memories )hatever arrives, you can notice it simply as "hat it is as nothing more and as nothing less remaining in this moment and this place even as you are invited to travel to some other moment and some other place, choosing to be here and no" rather than to be then and there *ully present "ith "hatever presents itself +oticing it simply as "hat it is and as nothing more and as nothing less ( *allow + minutes #$ seconds of silence, but as soon as you become aware t"at your attention is

no longer "ere(no longer focused on your breat"ing(wit"out giving yourself a "ard time(simply escorting your attention! your focus back to your breat"ing(and picking up w"erever t"at "appens to be(on an in.breat" or an out.breat"(becoming once again fully conscious of t"e duration of eac" in"alation! and t"e duration of eac" ex"alation! from moment to moment(*allow + minutes /0 seconds of silence, nd in t"e practice of meditation! using t"e awareness of your breat"ing and using your breat" as an anc"or to bring you back to t"e present moment! and to refocus your attention on your breat"ing! w"enever you notice t"at your mind is becoming absorbed! preoccupied! or restless(simply remembering t"at every time you notice t"at your mind "as wandered off t"e breat"(to #ust be aware of it as soon as you can be(and gently bringing it back to your belly(back to t"e present(back to t"e moment by moment observing t"e flow of your breat"ing(*allowing + minutes of silence, nd now as t"is meditation comes to an end! recogni1ing t"at you "ave spent t"is time intentionally nouris"ing yourself(by dwelling in t"is state of nondoing( in t"is state of being(making time for yourself to be w"o you are and to feel w"at you feel( nd now! you may choose to slowly and gently allowing yourself to come back into contact "ith your presence in t"e this room! per"aps moving your fingers and toes! feeling your body supported by in t"e c"air the furniture and the floor, and w"en you are ready! at your own pace! allowing your eyes to raise or to open feeling choosing to be fully present in this moment , in this place, at this time, here and no" calm and relaxed! yet alert and awake$ ,evised by -an' ,obb #$./$.#$ Reference: Center for Mind.2ody Medicine *+003,$ Mind2odySpirit Medicine: 4"e Professional 4raining Program$ Minneapolis! M5! 6ctober! +003$