Perform straw breathing by taking a deep breath in through the nose, then exhaling with pursed lips as if through a straw, making the exhale two or three times longer than the inhale. Do three of these to reset the nervous system.
Select a specific anchor for your meditation focus, such as feeling your body in its position (sitting, lying, standing), focusing on your breath at one spot (belly, chest, nose), or noticing sounds in your environment.
If struggling with distraction during meditation, softly whisper a mental note in your mind, such as ‘in’ and ‘out’ for breath, or ‘hot,’ ‘cold,’ ’tingling,’ ‘pressure,’ ‘pleasant,’ ‘unpleasant,’ ’thinking,’ or ‘sleepy’ for other sensations or thoughts, to help stay focused.
When the thinking mind or ego interferes and carries you away, acknowledge it by ‘blowing it a kiss’ or labeling it (e.g., ’thinking,’ ‘planning,’ ‘anger,’ ‘sadness’), then gently return your attention to the present moment without judgment.
When you notice your mind has wandered or you’ve become distracted during meditation, simply acknowledge it and gently bring your attention back to your chosen anchor.
During meditation, ask yourself, ‘What’s it like to be me right now?’ to cultivate present moment awareness.
Settle into a comfortable position for meditation, whether sitting in a chair or lying down, ensuring your body is at ease.
If feeling super sleepy during meditation, stand up to help stay awake and engaged.
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