As a clinical psychologist, one of the things I’m really passionate about is making mindfulness practices more accessible to people. As you can probably guess from my name on social media platforms (Mindful Dr. Paula), it’s a huge value of mine and a central part of my work and the way I live my life.
One of the most common things I hear when I suggest meditation or mindfulness is that it’s hard to get started. That’s why today I want to share with you a brief script for a meditation I specifically wrote for people who are just getting started with their practice.
Guided meditations are often most effective when you can listen to them with your eyes closed, so if you’re intrigued be sure to check out the video/ audio version of this meditation on my YouTube channel and as you’re reading through today, you may want to read one paragraph or sentence, pause and close your eyes to focus on the prompt that you just read.
To start:
💖 Find a comfortable position that allows you to feel your posture is open, your airways are open, and your body can relax.
💖 Make sure that your phone and other distractions are out of the room or on do not disturb so you won’t have distractions that interrupt your practice.
💖 For this practice, you can either gently close your eyes or keep them open and gaze softly at one spot.
And now:
Start by rolling your shoulders back and opening up your chest so that you can feel your spine is straight. Take a slow, deep inhale through your nose all the way down into your belly, and release that air really slowly through your mouth, feeling your chest falling as the air empties out.
Keep doing this deep breathing pattern, and notice the sensations of the air coming in and out. If your mind starts to wander, gently nudge your focus back to the cool whooshing of the air coming in through your nostrils and the warm air coming out of your mouth.
As you continue to breathe, start to bring your attention to your feet. Notice where they are in space and the sensations of whatever surface is underneath them. Wiggle your toes, press them back into whatever is underneath them, point and flex them, and let them rest at neutral.
Lastly, imagine as you inhale that your body is filling up from your toes all the way to your head with a warm, calming blue energy. As that energy passes from your toes up your legs, torso, chest, neck, and head, it's opening you up and softening any areas of your body that are tight or tense. As you breathe out, imagine that same blue energy flowing from the crown of your head back down through your body and out of your feet like a wave coming into the shore and slowly flowing back out again.
This meditation is a great way to start a meditation practice, even if you've never meditated before. It's also a great way to ground yourself in the present moment and feel calm and centered. So, take a few moments to practice this meditation and notice how you feel afterward.
Remember you can always contact us at HumanKind Psych if you need support incorporating more mindfulness into your life. All of our therapists are there to help!
Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel for insightful and informative videos on various topics related to mental health and personal growth (Like and subscribe if you’d like to also check out my future videos), sign up for my newsletter, and also follow me on Instagram (@mindfuldrpaula) for updates on the launching of my new Instagram paid subscription service and how to sign up.
What did you think of this meditation? Do you have any other tips for beginners to meditation?
Let me know in the comments below!
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