In this practice, teacher Shalini Bahl reminds us that mindfulness, in its simplest form, is about pausing—pausing to notice, to breathe, and to gently interrupt our ingrained habits of thought with our quiet presence.
We often think of mindfulness and meditation as a long, continuous practice – when in reality it’s just a collection of small moments of pausing, breathing, really noticing our bodies and our lives, then distracting ourselves, and then coming back again. Over and over again.
As this week’s teacher Shalini Bahl says, today’s guided training is about the art of stopping: letting go of our habitual mental habits — pushing, pulling, running in circles — and instead just… being For a moment.
This is an extended practice, but as a bonus, we’re also sharing a mini version of the practice below that you can do on busy days.
And don’t miss Shalini condition on Mindful.org It’s all about the power of small practices to influence our daily choices.
Reflections on the art of pausing
Read and practice the guided meditation text below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to audio exercises.
- Start by getting into a comfortable position where you feel supported. If you need more pillows or something to support your back until you feel the stretch along the back of your spine and move your shoulders up, back and down. Place your hands, palms facing up or down. When you feel ready, lower or close your eyes.
- Receive the sound of the bells as an invitation to the mind to be fully present. To this body and to this soul. Notice the fact that you are breathing. There is no need to change your breathing in any way. If it is shallow, let it be shallow, and if it is deep, let it be deep. Simply rest your awareness in this breath, step into your body, and follow it as far as it wants. Notice the slight pause when the inhalation changes to exhalation. Then rest in the awareness of this exhalation until the exhalation leaves your entire body. Then rest, rest in that pause before the soul enters the body.
- Follow this breathing cycle at your own paceresting in awareness. You are not Thinking About your breath, I’m really getting into that sense The breath, the coldness, the touch of the breath as soon as it enters your nose. Feel it moving through your body, expanding, as you breathe, in your lungs, in your chest, in your belly, wherever you feel it. As you inhale, inhale and then exhale, really feel that contraction, and out.
- Every time your mind wanders, which it will, just gently notice it. Let go of that thought for now, knowing that you can always return to your plans and ideas after training. For now, just let go of those thoughts and return to this awareness of the breath.
- In just these few moments, let go of any haste, judgment or expectations. Allow yourself to breathe as you are, as you are. Give your full care and attention to each inhale. For every exhale. And the distances between them.
- When you’re ready, find one place on your body where you can really feel the direct sensations of breathing. This could be by touching the breath in the nostrils or upper lip area where you feel the coolness of the new breath entering the nose, tingling in the nostrils, or warmth as you exhale, and touching your upper lip.
- If this feels natural to you, you can shift your attention to feel your breath in your chest or stomach area. Find one place where you can feel the direct breathing experience. For the next few minutes, stay there with the direct sensations of the breath. Again, keep it easy, just a very gentle rest in this awareness of the breath.
- If you feel bored, you can open your eyes a little. Make your inhalation more conscious. If your mind is really active, pay more attention to your exhalation, and slow your exhalation.
- What we are practicing here is the art of stopping and letting go-Abandoning our distractions, our habitual mental habits of pushing, pulling, and running in circles. We’re just here, fully attending to your breath, and allowing yourself to feel your breath directly.
- Notice your expectations of what is coming, how things should be, and even what the practice should be like. Notice how your attachments may be hindering your experience of inner calm in this moment. Loosen the grip of those attachments and return to your direct experience of breathing. Just this same one.
- Now, expand your awareness of this breathing, and of feeling this breathing throughout your body. You can stay focused on this place or you can expand awareness of this breath moving through your body. Feel your whole body breathing in, breathing out. Notice those small moments of eliminating distractions and staying present.
- Before we finish this practice, take a few minutes to listen to what is there. Just listen, and take a few minutes to listen as your mind and body become calmer. Maybe there’s clarity in how you can bring more of this inner calm practice into your life, whether it’s in your life Relationshipswith yourself, in your work. Just listen to where this inner calm practice can be most skillful and most beneficial for you and your loved ones. May we carry these qualities of inner and outer calm into all our actions and interactions.
Exact practice here:
