Meditations
Getting Started
A few tips for beginners.
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Arriving
Take a few minutes to get comfortable before you begin. Here are some short practices to help with settling.
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Mindfulness meditations
Some common practices from MBSR and MBCT approaches.
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Mindfulness of the breath adapted from Segal, Williams & Teasdale, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Depression (2002, 2013).
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Mindful weather checkin adapted from A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook for Anxiety by Bob Stahl Florence Meleo-Meyer and Lynn Koerbel.
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Informal mindfulness practice - a brief description with an example.
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3SBS - a three step breath space. This is a portable mindfulness practice that can be done anywhere. It is in three stages, roughly over three minutes.
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A visual observation practice. You might like to have a selection of natural objects (pebble, leaf etc) you can use as a focus but it can be done with anything.
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Compassion based meditations
Some common compassion practices, including some that are used in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT).
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CFT practices often begin by paying attention to our posture, facial expression and tone of voice. This is because it can be helpful to make subtle changes in these; brigning a deliberate intention to hold a posture that is both strong and soft (strong bavk, soft front), a kindly facial expression and a gentle tone of voice. Here is a brief practice.
Soothing rhythm breathing, adapted from Paul Gilbert (founder of CFT). The breath is used to help sooth and ground. This activate our soothing system our 'rest and digest' system, allowing body and mind to rest.
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Soothing colour meditation - a soothing and calming visualisation.
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Safe place visualisation and relaxation practice - the main practice is to create a safe place in your imagination. It begins with a relaxation to prepare body and mind for a calm space (but relaxation is optional).
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Meditations
Some more meditations.
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A short resting breath.
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A meditation of the five senses. This can be a useful practice to help ground in the present moment. Alternatively, it can also be done as a short 5-4-3-2-1 technique: notice 5 objects by sight, 4 by touch 3 by hearing, 2 by smell and 1 by taste.
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