How to Practice Mindfulness

Transcript

(light music) - Lidia. Hey Lidia. Are you okay? - Oh. (laughing) Yes. Of course, Brandon. Never better. How are you? Did you finish
your final exams? - No, I have one more
exam tomorrow morning and I'm totally overwhelmed. No one ever said college
would be this hard. But wait, what are you doing? - I am practicing mindfulness, it's a meditation technique. I use mindfulness to control
my stress during the day, especially during exam week. When I practice mindfulness, I can handle my stress
and keep my focus. Come on, I have an extra mat. Brandon, roll it out and I'll show you
how it's done. - Sure, I'll give it a try. (bright music) - Okay, Brandon. The key to mindfulness
is relaxing, and allowing your
mind to acknowledge the physical
sensations of your body and the thoughts that
come into your head. This body scan
exercise may help you stay focused
throughout the day. - Okay, I'm ready. - [Lidia] First, lay back
with your legs fully extended. You may keep your
eyes open or closed, whatever helps you relax. Now, bring your attention
to your breathing. Notice the air
entering your nose, traveling down into your lungs, and expanding your chest. Then exiting as you exhale. You may notice
noises around you or thoughts entering your mind. Acknowledge each one separately
before moving onto the next. I want you to think of a
leaf floating on a stream. Place each thought
on a new leaf, and watch it float away. Good. Now, let's scan your
body from head to toe. Starting with your head,
your scalp, and your hair. Begin to run your
attention towards your neck and then your shoulders. As your shoulders relax, bring your attention
to your chest. Then to your abdomen, and from there to your back. Continue to relax each muscle. Focus now on your legs, then your thighs
and your knees. Focus your attention
on this moment. Right here, right now. Now move to your
calves, your ankles, your feet, and your toes. Good Brandon. Now focus your attention on
scanning back up your body and on your breath. Slowly sit up and we
are finished for today. (deep breathing) - [Brandon] Wow,
it's been a long time since I've felt this relaxed. I need to keep practicing
this so I can get good at it. - All you need
is a quiet space. Mindfulness is one of many
tools to help manage stress. Today we practiced
body scanning, which is one of many
mindfulness exercises. Next time we should consider finding a place with no
distractions or interruptions, which will benefit
our practice. - Thank you for
teaching me this. I can see myself
practicing mindfulness now and in the future. - No problem, Brandon. Glad to hear this was helpful. Feel free to join me anytime. (bright music)