Two Introductory Mindfulness Exercises

Simple experiencing

Many of us are constantly thinking about everything we encounter. There is nothing wrong with thinking; as human beings it's one of our greatest assets. Problems arise when we become unbalanced and overdo it. The same is true of almost anything that is good in itself. When we become unbalanced we lose something by over-emphasising its opposite. We also become tired and tense. Constantly thinking about everything is hard work.

What we lose when we overdo thinking is the ability to simply experience things wordlessly. These two exercises challenge us to restore that balance in life. In them we first practise Just Hearing, and then Just Knowing each breath. That second exercise will bring us very close to the first two steps of the Anapana practice.

Simply experiencing things

The ability to simply experience something, without commenting on it or thinking about it, is important in Anapana practice. It is the experience we have in each step which moves us on through the process, not thinking about each step. Giving our busy minds a rest also helps us to destress and to relax. I like to use these two introductory exercises at odd moments during the day as well as when I start Anapana practice. They help to give me a quiet moment of calm between the busyness of the day's activities.

Whenever I work with the Anapana practice, I always begin with the first exercise, Just Hearing. It always helps me let go of all the thinking that usually goes on in my head. It also prepares us for the two steps focussed on knowing the breath. Those two steps (Steps 1 and 2) ask us to know each in-breath and each out-breath. They don't ask us to change the way we breathe, or to control the breath in any way. That can be difficult, but when we start with Just Hearing we can transfer the word-less and thought-less experiencing of sounds to a similar experiencing of our breaths.

We won't do it perfectly, and we shouldn't be disappointed when we don't. But the more we practise, the easier it becomes.