A Guided Mindfulness Meditation to Improve the Moment

Mindful breathing is a powerful exercise that can help you stay focused on the present moment. Combining a mindful breathing exercise with meditation can help you focus and relax. Read the instructions below to familiarize yourself with the experience. Set a timer, and as you get more accustomed to using this technique to help you relax, you can set the alarm for longer periods of time. Stop if you feel light-headed or for any other reason. Instead, return your breathing to a normal rate and begin counting your breaths.

Instructions

• Sit in a comfortable position. Try to sit in the same place each day. Avoid positions that you might fall asleep in.
  • The back is long and supports itself.
  • Shoulders are relaxed downward, the neck is long, and the chin points neither up nor down.
  • The face is relaxed.
• Begin to breathe (preferably through the nostrils). Feel the belly rise; the ribs expand, and the slight movement of the collarbones and shoulders as the breath moves upward. Feel the exhalation. Focus on one aspect of the breath:
  • The air movement in and out of the nostrils.
  • Or the lifting and falling of the belly.
• Watch that one aspect of the breath.
  • When the mind wanders, gently bring it back to the breath and the aspect you have chosen to watch.
  • Do this as many times as you need to.
  • There is no such thing as a good or bad meditation. (Good and bad are judgments, events in the mind – notice them and return to breathing.)
• Start with 5-10 minutes and then increase the time until you can sit for 30 minutes.

Reference

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook

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