Mindfulness: Breath and Body Scan
At your desk, sit in a relaxed but upright position that you feel you can comfortably maintain for about three minutes. Rest your hands lightly on your thighs or wherever feels right for you. Place your feet flat on the floor. You are supported and calm. You can also try this practice lying down or sitting on the floor.
Let's begin.
Take a slow, deep breath, filling your full body with air.
Now release, just as slowly.
Take another breath, sniffing the air slowly into your nostrils until your inhale reaches its natural stopping point.
Pause for a few seconds, then slowly release, taking just as long to exhale as you did to inhale.
Again, softly inhale—1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold—1, 2, 3
Exhale—1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Breathe deeply and evenly a couple more times, counting or not.
Whenever you're ready, return to your natural breathing pattern and just observe your breath, not trying to control it in any way . . . (P a u s e 15–20 seconds)
Notice the rise and fall of your gentle, natural breath. Where do you feel it most?
Is it in your nose . . . (P a u s e)
Your throat . . . (P a u s e)
Your chest . . . (P a u s e)
Your belly?
Just observe your breath, not trying to change it. There is nothing to do, nothing to change. Your breath is your anchor to return to—to re-center yourself at any time. Trust your breath.
Now direct your awareness to any parts of your body that are in contact with a surface, and let that surface be there for you, to ground and support you.
Feel the soles of the feet on the floor, the backs of your thighs on the chair, your hands resting on your lap. Observe and imagine your breath going into your lower back . . . your middle back . . . upper back. (P a u s e 15–20 seconds)
If your mind wanders during this exercise, acknowledge the thought, let it go, and return to the breath, quietly observing your own gentle breathing and how grounded and peaceful you are. You are at peace, you are whole, and you are calm.
Workplace Options AWARE & Schuette, B. (Ed.). (Reviewed 2024). Mindfulness: Breath and body scan. Raleigh, NC: Author.