Mindfulness Made Easy

It’s easy to practice mindfulness at home, says Susan Bauer-Wu. She offers these tips for awareness of breathing:

> Settle into a comfortable position. Allow the spine to be relatively straight, but not rigid, so breathing is open and easy. Hands and arms can be placed on the lap or folded together or at the side if lying down. Keep eyes closed or lower them with a soft gaze.

> Gently bring awareness to the breath as it moves in and out of the body.

> Notice where the breath is most vivid. This may be at the nostrils or at the chest as it rises and falls or may be at the belly.

> Stay present with the experience of breathing. Simply breathe in a natural and comfortable way.

> If attention wanders, gently escort it back to awareness of breathing. Allow thoughts or emotions to arise without pushing away or holding on to them. Simply notice them.

“Try to carve out at least 10 minutes each day to sit quietly and intentionally pay attention to your breathing or other bodily sensations,” Bauer-Wu says. “Do this practice at a time and location when you are less likely to have interruptions or feel sleepy.”