Transcript
Host (0:01)
Welcome to five Minute Magic from the Mindful Creative Podcast, a short bonus episode sharing tips and insights from the pages of the book of the same title. Every week, I'll be sharing one or two ideas that can give you an actionable takeaway for your creative process, your work, your business, or just food for thought for the weekend ahead. These episodes share content from the audiobook and you can find the link to the full version in the show notes below.
Guide (0:27)
This is the first of three simple breathing exercises that you can incorporate in your daily routine. You only need a chair and about 10 minutes where you won't be disturbed. The first in this episode is a breathing exercise for presence, the second is a body scan and the third is a meditation for gaining space in the mind. As you will see, they all operate on the same basic principle of sitting, breathing and noticing. Breathing Exercise number one is a simple exercise for tuning your breath that requires as little as couple of minutes per day and the maximum benefits will come from doing it every day. You can do it on your sofa, sat at your desk, or you can even modify it so you can do it when you're walking down the road or waiting in a queue. Wherever you do it, it's an anchor for bringing you into the present. The more you can do it every day, the more natural it will become and the more it will become.
Instructor (1:27)
Breathing exercise Number one. This is a very simple exercise for tuning into your breath that requires as little as a couple of minutes per day and the maximum benefits will come from doing it every day. You can do it on your sofa, sat at your desk. You can even modify it so that you can do it when you're walking down the road or waiting in a queue. Wherever you do it, it's a fantastic anchor for bringing us into the present. The more you can do it every day, the more natural it will become and the more it will become habit. Find a comfortable place to sit where you can be undisturbed for about 10 minutes. Feel free to use a chair sitting with both feet on the floor. Alternatively, you can sit cross legged on your bed or on the floor. Either way, keep your back relaxed and supported. Gently close your eyes and start to take in any sounds that are around you. The sounds will change and come and go. That's no problem. Just notice that they're there and be content to keep them in the background. Begin to notice how you're breathing. Don't change it, just notice it. Cast your mental gaze on the breath. Notice how it feels as you breathe in, where in your body the breath travels to its rhythm, its pace, and how it feels as it leaves the body. Settle into this inner gazing and keep your relaxed, curious attention on your breathing for a few minutes. If the mind becomes distracted by thoughts or sounds, that's okay. It's perfectly natural. Gently bring your attention back to your breath.