Mindful breathing is a different animal than calming breathing. Instead of controlling one’s breath to refocus or calm down, the purpose of mindful breathing is to shift one’s attention to the present moment, strengthening brain power. (Although mindful breathing may have a self-soothing effect that is not the main goal of mindful breathing!)
Try this:
Set a timer for 5 minutes and let your attention focus only on your breathing.
You can focus on the rise and fall of your chest, the feeling of the air going in and out of your nostrils—whatever you need to stay focused only on your breath.
The key here is to just be a curious observer of your breath and let the chatter in your mind go. Let go of your thoughts. Let go of worries. Let go of upcoming projects or deadlines. If you notice a thought taking you away from your breath just gently redirect your attention back to your breath. Let your breath become your world for a couple minutes. Let your reality just become the raw experience of air going in and out of your body. Just notice it without judgment and stay present with it. It is harder than it seems.
However, this practice allows you to exercise parts of your brain that are associated with focus, emotional regulation, and serenity. It is like doing a curl with free weights—but for your brain.
To learn more about if you are truly breathing mindfully you can review principles of mindfulness here.
If you'd like to watch a little video I made about the power of mindful breathing, click the link below:
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