In this practice, teacher Shalini Bahl reminds us that in its simplest form, mindfulness is about pausing to notice, to breathe, to slightly interrupt our focused thought patterns with our quiet presence.
We tend to think of mindfulness and meditation as a continuous, steady exercise—when in reality, it’s a collection of small moments to stop, breathe, really notice our bodies and our health, interrupt, and come back again. Again and again.
As this week’s teacher Shalini Bahl puts it, today’s guided tour is about the art of stopping: letting go of our usual mental habits—pushing, pulling, running in circles—and instead just to be temporary.
This is an extended practice, but as a bonus, we’re also sharing a micro-practice version below that you can take on busy days.
And don’t miss Shalini’s article on Mindful.org about the power of the little things that affect our everyday choices.
Meditation on the Art of Posing
Read and practice the guided meditation text below, pausing after each passage. Or listen to the audio practice.
- Start by getting into a relaxed state where you feel supported. If you need more cushions or something to support your back so you can feel the length behind your spine and roll your shoulders up, back, and down. Place your hands up or palms down. When you feel ready, relax or close your eyes.
- Find the sound of the bells as a mental invitation to be fully present. In this body, in this breath. Notice that you are breathing. There is no need to change your breath in any way. If it is shallow, let it be deep, if it is deep, let it be deep. Just rest your awareness on this breath, entering your body, and follow it where it wants to go. Be aware of pausing when the inhalation changes to exhalation. Then rest in awareness of that breath until the breath is fully out of your body. Then pause, rest in that pause before the breath enters the body.
- Follow this breathing cycle at your own paceresting in awareness. You are not thinking in terms of your breathing, you are really starting the idea air, cooling, touching the air as soon as it enters your nostrils. Feel it moving through your body, expanding, when you breathe, in your lungs, in your chest, in your stomach, wherever you feel it. As you inhale, exhale and exhale, really feel that contraction, release.
- Every time your mind wanders, what it will do, notice that with kindness. Leave that thought behind for now, knowing that you can always return to the plans, to your thoughts, after practice. For now, just let go of those thoughts and come back to this awareness of breathing.
- For just these few moments, let go of any rush, any judgment, any expectations. Allow yourself to breathe the way you are, as you are. Give your full care and attention to every inhalation. In every breath. And spaces in between.
- When you are ready, find one place in your body where you feel the direct sensation of breathing. It can be the touch of the air in the nose or the area of the upper lip where you feel the cooling of the fresh air entering the nose, drifting in your nostrils, or the warmth when you exhale, touching your upper lip.
- If it feels natural to you, you can turn your attention to feel your breath in your chest area or in your belly. Find that one place where you can feel the direct sensation of breathing. For the next few minutes, sit there with the direct sensations of breathing. Also, keep inactive, very gentle relaxation in that conscious breath.
- If it feels blurry, you can open your eyes a little. Make your breathing more conscious. If your mind is really working, pay more attention to the exhale, the slowness of your exhale.
- What we do here is the art of stopping and letting go-letting go of our distractions, our usual mental habits, pushing, pulling, running in circles. We are right here, fully present in your spirit, allowing you to feel your spirit directly.
- Be aware of what you expect from the next, how things should be, and how this practice should be. Be aware of how your attachments can interfere with your sense of inner peace at this time. Let go of your attachment and simply come back to the direct experience of your spirit. This is just one breath.
- Now, increase your awareness of this breath, the feeling of this breath throughout your body. You can stay focused on that one spot or you can expand your awareness of this breath moving through your body. Feel your whole body breathing in, breathing out. Be aware of those small moments of letting go of distractions and being present.
- Before we end this practice, take a moment to listen within what is. Just listen, taking a moment to listen as your mind and body calm down a bit. Perhaps there is clarity in how you can bring more of this practice of inner calm into your life, whether it is in your relationships, with yourself, in your work. Just listen inwardly as this practice of inner calm can be very skillful, very beneficial for you and your loved ones. May we perpetuate these qualities of inner and outer calmness in all our actions and interactions.
A little practice here:
