The Mindfulness Book
By Amanda Wooden
Simple Mindfulness Tools for Children
Mindfulness can happen when you are aware of what you are experiencing while you are experiencing it. There are many mindful practices that can help you experience mindfulness. When you experience mindfulness, you can experience peace.
Try this: Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Release all of the air from your lungs. Then take a deep inhale slowly through your nose. Feel your belly and chest rise. As you inhale slowly, say to yourself "I am breathing in". Now exhale slowly through your nose. Feel your belly and chest sink back down. As you exhale slowly, say to yourself "I am breathing out".
When you experience mindfulness, you experience being present. Being present means that you are aware of what is going on while it is going on. When you experience being present in a given moment, you experience peace.
Try this: Find a chair to sit in. Sit tall on your two sit bones and have feet rest on the floor. Feel your back against the chair and relax your shoulders. Place your hands in your lap. Gently close your eyes and begin to breath in and out slowly through your nose. As you inhale and exhale, say to yourself, "I am sitting. I am sitting. I am sitting." Feel the chair against your body and feel the space that your body occupies against the chair. Say to yourself again, "I am sitting. I am sitting. I am sitting." Feel the air around the outline of your body and feel the floor beneath you and the ceiling above you. Say to youself, "I am sitting. I am sitting. I am sitting." When you are ready, gently open your eyes.
We can practice mindfulness anywhere and any time. When we practice mindfulness, we become more aware of ourselves and of all other living things. Mindfulness practices are tools that can being us peace so that we can share peace with others.
The End