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Mindfulness summary
A summary of what we have covered in this activity.
© University of East Anglia
We hope that you have found this activity on mindfulness useful. Here are a few more things to consider.
Acknowledging
Bring yourself into the present moment by deliberately adopting a dignified posture. Then ask:
What’s going on with me at this moment? What thoughts, feelings and body sensations am I experiencing right now?
You could put your inner experience into words, for example, say in your mind, ‘A feeling of anger is arising’ or ‘self-critical thoughts are here’ or ‘my stomach is clenched and tense.’
Gathering
Gently bring your full attention to the breathing. Experience fully each in-breath and each out-breath as they follow one after the other. It may help to note at the back of your mind ‘breathing in…breathing out’, or to count the breaths. Let the breath function as an anchor to bring you into the present and to help you tune into a state of awareness and stillness.
Expanding
Expand your awareness around the breathing to the whole body, and the space it takes up, as if your whole body is breathing. Especially take the breath to any discomfort, tension or resistance you experience, ‘breathing in’ to the sensations. While breathing out, allow a sense of softening, opening, letting go. You can also say to yourself:
It’s ok to feel whatever I’m feeling.
Include a sense of the space around you too. Hold everything in awareness. As best you can, bring this expanded awareness into the next moments of your day.
© University of East Anglia
This article is from the online course:
Anxiety in Children and Young People during COVID-19
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This article is from the free online
Anxiety in Children and Young People during COVID-19
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