Get into a comfortable position.

Bring your awareness to your breath.

I breathe in... my stomach rises.

My lungs fill up with fresh air.

I breathe out... I let go of everything that's tense and stressful.

I breathe in: fresh... air.
I breathe out: I let go.

I breathe in: fresh…. air.

I breathe out: I let go, relaxed.

I breathe in: my lungs give me the air I need.

I breathe out: I smile at my lungs in gratitude.

So enjoy a few mindful breaths
and return with a smile!

Get into a comfortable position. In stressful, but also in quieter times, you can practice becoming more aware of your present feelings and mood.

You can do this exercise after a meeting, a strenuous task, at your desk.

Focus on your thoughts, close your eyes, now or later, direct your attention to your breathing for a while.

I breathe in: I am aware of my inhalation
I breathe out: I am aware of my exhalation

Bring your attention to it while asking yourself:

What is my overall mood? Rather good? Not so good?

What feeling or feelings do I sense the most right now?
Feelings can be like different tastes. They can be rather unpleasant, rather neutral, or rather nice.

Do I notice anger, rage, calm, or contentment?
Some tension, fear or confidence, trust?
Some reluctance, frustration or affection, connection?
Some exhaustion, sadness or freshness, joy, openness?

You may also find you do not particularly feel anything at all, which is also fine.

I can notice how my bodily sensations are associated with my feelings.
Like when I am angry, my head gets hot.
When exhausted, my chest feels heavy.
When overjoyed, I get a nice tingling sensation in my stomach.

I can notice how my feelings change over time when I am in the position of the observer.
I can notice my feelings like I can notice the sea and its waves.
I do not have to hold on to a feeling, I can just notice it.
Feelings can rise increase and subside.
Feelings come and feelings go, like waves, like clouds.

Return to your daily activities after a while.

If your head is exploding with tons of different thoughts that will not stop circling around and around, you can try to calm down a little with this exercise, called “racing thoughts”. You can lie down or sit on a chair. Make sure you are in a comfortable sitting position... ideally lean your head back against the wall..... feel the floor with both feet

Close your eyes, focus on your breath, take 3 deep breaths in and out.

Choose an absolutely meaningless, three- or four-syllable word, e.g. “Gosaber” or “Dufedano” or something else.

When you have found your word, let it circle around your mind, like the calm sails of a windmill.

Some people might find it easier if they mumble it softly.

Go at your own pleasant pace or to the rhythm of your breath – for example focusing on the first syllable of the chosen word when inhaling, the next two when exhaling.

After about 15 minutes, take 3 deep breaths in and out, have a stretch, only then finish the exercise and open your eyes. If you do the exercise in the evening just before bed, of course, you can stay in a relaxed state.

Get into a comfortable position.

Bring your awareness to your breath
How you breathe in... and out.
You can keep your eyes open, close them now, or close them later.

(Calm) I am calm.
With every exhalation, this calmness in me can increase and can spread.
Calm.

(Heavy) My arm is heavy.
With every exhalation, this heavy feeling in me can increase and can spread.
Heavy

(Warm) My hand is warm.
With every exhalation, this warm feeling in me can increase and can spread.
Warmth

(Breath) My breath is calm and steady.
I let my breath take over.

(Heart) My heart/pulse beats calmly and evenly.
With each exhalation, my heart/pulse can beat more calmly and evenly.
Calm and steady heart.

(Solar plexus) My stomach/solar plexus radiates warmth.
With each exhalation, the warmth in my stomach/solar plexus can increase and radiate.
Warm stomach.

(Forehead) My forehead is cool.
With each exhalation, my forehead can become cooler.
Cool forehead

Enjoy this pleasant state...

And when you want to come back to your present-day,
bring your attention to your breath, take three deep breaths in and out.

Then have a good stretch and return with a fresh smile…

Sit down in a relaxed position, with your feet resting comfortably on the floor and your arms resting either on your thighs or on your armrests. Once you have found a relaxed position, you can either close your eyes or keep them gazing at a focal point in front of you, if this is more comfortable for you. Take a deep breath in and out, notice how your stomach rises as you breathe in, and contracts again as you breathe out.

Now bring your attention to your left hand. Clench it into a fist. Hold the tension for a few seconds...and, on your next exhalation, release the tension in your hand...Feel the difference between tension and relaxation.

Now focus on your upper left arm. Curl it up and hold the tension for a moment, then, on your next exhalation, release all tension and feel the relaxation spreading along your arm.

Now repeat these exercises on your right arm. Clench your right hand into a fist. Hold the tension for a few seconds, and, on your next exhalation, release the tension in your hand. Feel the difference between tension and relaxation.

Now continue with your right upper arm. Curl it up and hold the tension for a moment, then, on your next exhalation, release all tension and feel the relaxation spreading along your arm, continue to breathe deeply, in and out. If your thoughts start to wander, bring your attention back to your breathing.

Now focus on your forehead and nose, furrow your eyebrows and scrunch up your nose, hold for a moment, then release the tension. Again, notice the difference between tension and relaxation, which is now spreading across your forehead.

Now bring your awareness to your jaw. Tighten it firmly by clenching your teeth together and pressing your tongue up against the roof of your mouth, hold briefly, and, on your next exhalation, release the tension and notice the relaxation taking hold with each breath you sink deeper and deeper into relaxation.

Now, bring your awareness to your shoulders and stomach and engage them by drawing your shoulders together down your back and sucking your belly button in, hold the tension for a moment, and, on your next exhalation, release and feel yourself relax.

Now bring your awareness to your feet. Now claw the toes of both feet, hold, and then release on your next out-breath. Feel the difference between tension and relaxation once again.

Now bring your awareness from your feet up to your calves. Then press both heels into the ground and lift your toes up to create tension in your calves, hold for a moment, and on your next out-breath release and relax. Send your breath all the way from your feet right up to the top of your head as you inhale...and as you exhale, from the top of your head right back down to your feet. Notice your breath flowing through your whole body and the relaxation expanding throughout your body and stay with this awareness for a moment.

Now slowly bring your awareness back to the room. Have a good stretch, taking it at your own pace, whatever feels good for you. Take another deep breath in and out, and open your eyes again, if you had them closed, you are now fully awake and present.

I will now introduce you to a mindfulness exercise you can use to feel grounded and fully in the present moment. By using your senses, you can shift your focus from your internal world, such as your thoughts and feelings, to your external world, i.e. your current surroundings. To do this, you will explore the different senses, concentrating on what you can perceive through them. You can do this exercise at home, but also while you are out and about. This is the exercise:

1. First off, focus on your sense of sight and list 5 things that you can see in your immediate surroundings. Try to do this as quickly as possible and focus all your attention on this activity.

2. Afterwards, continue by bringing your attention to your sense of sound. Now list 4 things that you can hear and focus your awareness on this.

3. Now we will focus on your sense of touch. Touch three objects, this could be e.g. your sweater or your desk and sense the nature of the objects and describe them, focusing on objective qualities. For example, you might notice that your desk feels smooth and cool to touch.

4. Now we will focus on your sense of smell. Choose two things that you can smell and focus your attention on them. This can be the smell of a flower or of freshly brewed tea, for example. Carefully perceive the two smells one after the other and describe what you can sense to yourself.

5. Finally, concentrate on your sense of taste and choose one thing, e.g. a piece of chocolate or a sip of tea, which you can be aware of and describe the taste in your own words.

You can also repeat this exercise several times in a row until you feel that your focus is fully centered on the present moment and your mind is calm and clear again.

A body scan is basically a mindfulness exercise in which you get in touch with your body by bringing your awareness to different parts of it, sort of like a mental scanner. This short exercise can help you feel calmer and become more aware of your body and its present state.

Get into a relaxed position, just enjoy the feeling of relaxation without seeking to accomplish anything, just enjoy this state.

If you like, you can put one hand on your stomach to get more in touch with your breath.

I breathe in: my stomach rises.
I breathe out: my stomach contracts.

Inhale.
Exhale.

Bring your awareness to the crown of your head.
How does your head feel? What can you sense? Does it feel hard, soft, warm, fresh, light, heavy, dry, moist.

Whatever you feel, just be aware of it.
You may also not particularly sense anything there, that is also fine:

Bring your awareness to your forehead. How does it feel?
Now bring your awareness to:
Your eyes
Your ears
Your nose
Your mouth
Your throat
Your neck.

Then focus on:
Your shoulders
Your upper arms
Your forearms
Your hands.

Just notice what you are feeling.

Notice the upper part of your body:
Your lungs
Your heart
Your back
Your stomach.

Notice your thighs, your knees, your calves, your feet.

Finally, notice how your whole body is feeling.
If you like, you can give your body a friendly smile
and thank your body for serving you so well.

If you wish to complete this exercise, bring your awareness to your breath once again.
Mindfully breathe in and out, taking 2 to 3 deep breaths.

If you are sitting on a chair, make sure you are in a comfortable position, with your arms relaxed and resting on your thighs or on your armrests. You can also sit on the floor in a comfortable cross-legged position. Once you have found a comfortable position, close your eyes or keep them gazing at a focal point in front of you.

Now imagine in front of your inner eye that you are standing on a white sandy beach. At your feet are rippling waves and rising up behind you are dunes and the grass on top of them is swaying in the wind.

Listen to the gentle sound of the waves lightly swirling around your legs. Feel the pleasant coolness of the water, the gentle waves calmly moving back and forth.

You can also imagine that you are sitting down in the sand and can feel the fine warm sand beneath you. Maybe take some sand in your hand and let it slowly trickle out. Maybe you can also hear the sound of the waves and the seagulls circling over the water. Everything is calm and relaxed. You feel the sun's rays on your skin pleasantly warming your body. You feel the pleasant warmth on your face, on your arms, your torso, your legs, down to your feet. A pleasant warmth fills you up, you also notice your breath, how your chest rises with each inhalation and lowers again with each exhalation. Inhale lift, exhale lower. With your breath flowing through your body at your pace, you notice a pleasant sensation of heaviness and warmth. Take in the splendid sea surroundings, listen to the sound of the sea. The grass swaying in the wind in the dunes, maybe you can even feel the sea breeze gently brushing your face, leaving a pleasant sense of coolness...you feel relaxed and at ease.

Sense this pleasant and relaxing feeling expanding throughout your body and stay in this state for a moment.

Now slowly come back from this state of relaxation and the image of the sea, back to the present moment, have a stretch, take another deep breath in and out and open your eyes again if you had them closed, you are now fully awake and in the present moment.

Get into a comfortable position.
You can keep your eyes open now, close them now, or later on. Bring your attention to your breath
as you inhale and exhale.

Be mindful of your breath, the way your breath flows.
Be mindful of how you inhale.
Be mindful of how you exhale.

I breathe in: I am aware of my inhalation.
I breathe out: I am aware of my exhalation.

I breathe in: I am like a mountain.
I breathe out: like a mountain, I am steady and firm.
I breathe in: mountain.
I breathe out: steady... and firm.
With every breath you take... this steady and firm feeling can increase.

I breathe in: I am aware of my inhalation
I breathe out: I am aware of my exhalation
I breathe in: I am like a fresh flower.
I breathe out: like a flower, I feel fresh.
Breathe in: Flower.
Breathe out: Fresh.
With every breath: this fresh feeling can radiate through you more.

I breathe in: I am aware of my inhalation.
I breathe out: I am aware of my exhalation.

I breathe in: I am like a still lake.
I breathe out: like a lake I am clear.
Breathe in: lake.
Breathe out: clear.
With every breath, this feeling of clearness can spread through you more.

I breathe in: I am aware of my inhalation.
I breathe out: I am aware of my exhalation.

I breathe in: I am like the universe.
I breathe out: like the universe I am free.
Breathe in: universe.
Breathe out: free.
With every breath, this feeling of freedom can spread through you.

Sense and appreciate this moment... for as long as you like.

You can use all four pictures or just one to strengthen yourself mentally at any time during your day.

When you want to end the exercise, bring your attention back to your breath.
Be mindful of your breath.
The way you inhale.
The way you exhale.
And come back to the present moment with an inner smile.