Welcome to Day 5 of your Mindfulness and Meditation Journey

Day 5 - Returning to a place of ease: Spaciousness

Day 5 - (1) Creating the Mindfulness Zone

In Day 1 we gained insight into our ability to RECOGNIZE when we move into, and out of, a mindful state.

In Day 2 our AWARENESS of our inner landscape during mindful moments was explored, as we identified physical actions, sensations, feelings and mental activity.

On Day 3 we brought awareness to CONSCIOUS activation and CONSCIOUS relaxing of the physical body as we explored our accompanying sensations, feelings and reactions within the body in an attempt to gain greater understanding of our inner landscape.

Day 4 we focused on identifying our IDEAL STATE and working on our ability to quickly RESET to a grounded clearer space by labeling an object and moving to the next one without too much thought or attachment to each item.  We explored which were your preferred senses when identifying and labeling our 3 points.  The meditation provided the opportunity to explore this concept utilizing vision, touch and sound.  When we reset utilizing our preferred senses, we may refocus with a clearer lens of perception.

• Was it easier to identify things with one particular sense, ie. Hearing, touch, visual, smell, taste more than another?

• Was your language easier to access when you labelled the item with a specific sense, eg. you were in contact with the item compared to seeing it?

Often if you hesitate in being able to label, then perhaps a different sense organ is the vehicle to ground you.

Take a moment to identify and label 3 things with the sense that you have decided gives you the best access into your inner landscape.  Now Breathe in and out. Reset.

• How does that make you feel? 

• Did you notice any changes in your physical body, your breath, were you aware of any sensations or feelings during and after the activity?

• Did you scan and rush the activity to get to the next thing, or did you engage with the activity?

This was just an offer, or a reminder of why you might be participating in this mindfulness and meditation series.  We can easily slip into patterns of trying to get stuff done … that is, to make it to the end of the task and forget that this was a journey we wanted to be on.  Other times, we may connect so completely with an activity, that the very mention of the name and we are already in the zone.  Mindful living can be a preferred ‘zone’ if we become skillful at recognizing, becoming aware, resetting – however that is for the moment – and choosing our way forward.

• Can you think of any time where you have ‘got’ into your zone?’

Frequently, people feel this way about art, sport, hobbies, reading, surfing…. Being in the zone is anything where you are so totally absorbed in the time and space whilst doing the activity, that you virtually become one with the activity.  If you have been fortunate to have experienced being in the ‘zone,’ you will know it usually comes as the result of a level of expertise through gaining skill and practice.

You may not feel this way about mindfulness or meditation, yet.  You may have experienced mindful moments or perhaps you are aware of fluctuations and challenges that arise.  Keep turning up for you and you may be surprised what you find: Persistence, Patience and Practice.

“A successful person never loses. They either win or learn!” - John Calipari

Observe the breath. Recognize its effect on the body-mind movements.  Bring awareness into the timing and space that occurs within the breath and then within the body-mind.  Experience the single focus.  Identify the shifts away from being centred and the conscious choice to return to your centre.  Play with the qualities that allow you to reset comfortably as they arise.  Allow yourself to be in the centred space, expanding awareness in the nuances of the breath.

Mindfulness living means bringing focus into our everyday lived experience with gratitude, kindness, compassion and equanimity.

Remember, throughout this 7 day journey, to honour yourself with:

• Gratitude for creating the space to carry out the activity.

• Kindness and consideration for those moments that you lose track of how and what you are "meant" to be doing.

• Kindness for the times when you find obstacles, or experience a sense of conflict whilst proceeding.

• Compassion for other’s perspectives. Each person’s experience is uniquely their own.

• Equanimity or establishing a sense of flow and non-judgement.

Day 5 - (2) Mindfulness Activity: Spaciousness of the Breath



"Surrender to what is.  Let go of what was.  Have faith in what will be."

- Sonia Ricotti

This Mindfulness Activity is best completed seated or standing.  Allow yourself to be in a comfortable position that enables you to actively observe and connect more deeply with the mindfulness activity.  If you need to move during the session, do so, slowly and with as little distraction as possible.

Remember, if you feel unsafe or compromised at any time please seek support from myself &/or your Health Care provider.

Day 5 - (3) Intention: Returning to a place of ease - Spaciousness through Timing

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

We have explored inhalation and exhalation, as a technique to return to a place of centredness.  We now may utilize this awareness combined with marking our breath with a specific action.  This focus may be on a specific frame of reference, whether that is a recollection of 5 boats floating on the water, 5 trees in a park or 5 random objects in your current view.

• Consider how does your body respond when you are combining the breath with a task?

• Does the regulation of your breath with the task focus or confuse your mind?

• What effect does the in and out breath at 5 have on our ability to repeat the task sequence?

   

Experiment with counting and breathing with your eyes closed, without the focus of spotting an object

• Is this easier or more difficult?

• Does the mind create an image? Where is your focus when the eyes are closed?

• What effects do you observe having the eyes open whilst also observing or focusing on a task?

• What body-mind effect occurred within the breath for you?

Frequently, marking your breath with an external object helps to keep us alert to the task.  What occurs in this situation is we regulate our breathing rate and it becomes easier to observe the different sensations in different phases of the breath.

When we have time and space it is often easier to have increase awareness, acceptance, consideration and appreciation of ourselves and of others.  When we are feeling vital, refreshed and alert, we frequently can be flexible and adaptable to situations as they present themselves.

Day 5 - (4) Reflective Journal: Returning to a place of ease - Spaciousness

As always, you are free to choose whether you record your observations in a Reflection Journal or not. However, as previously stated, it is highly recommended that you at least take the time to reflect, as this helps us to better consolidate what we have learned from today. In order to focus on the reflective process better you may like to consider the following Questions:

Q1.

Looking back at Day 4 and your experiences doing the Rapid Reset activities:

• How did that activity make you feel? 

• Did you notice any changes in your physical body, your breath, were you aware of any sensations or feelings during and after the activity?

• Did you scan and rush the activity to get to the next thing, or did you engage with the activity? 

• Can you think of any times where you were in your ‘zone’?

Q2.

Now consider the labeling activity:

• Was it easier to identify things with one particular sense, (ie. Hearing, Touch, Visual, Smell, or Taste) more than another?

• Was your language easier to access when you labelled the item with a specific sense, (eg. when you were in contact with the item compared to seeing it)?

• How did my body respond when I combined the breath with a task?

• Does the regulation of my breath with the task focus or confuse my mind?

• What effect does the in and out breath at 5 have on my ability to repeat the task sequence?

Q3.

When the eyes were closed:

• Was this easier or more difficult?

• Does the mind create an image? Where is my focus when the eyes are closed?

• What effects did I observe having the eyes open whilst also focusing on a task?

• What was the body-mind effect that occurred within the breath?

Q4.

As is customary by now, if you have any additional information, observations, thoughts or considerations that feel appropriate for you, feel free to record these in your journal as well, or alternatively reflect upon them now.

Day 5 - (5) Meditation: Beach Walk Visualisation

You will be mobilizing your inner resources when participating in this meditation.  As we explore this Visualization, trust in allowing your senses to be immersed and connected to your inner story as the prompts guide you along.  Participate and trust in your creation today.  Know that every day is different and listening to this meditation again, you may journey a totally different space, or perhaps a very similar one numerous times.  Beneath the story of the Visualization is the spaciousness to explore your sensory world.  Visualizations may allow deeper perception and internal vision.

At times, the mind will wander.  Notice the place it moves to and gently return to the vocal guidance.  Sometimes it may be helpful to label the particular feeling, image, sensation as you let it go.  This labeling may become helpful as we start to notice similar patterns in the distractions of the mind.

It is quite common for similar topics to arise.  In this situation, it is often a retold experience or perspective.  Consider this an opportunity to identify the re-emerging pattern, let it go and then if appropriate you may want to explore the labelled topic with additional support.

Allow yourself to be guided.  Allow the sensations, thoughts and feelings to move past you, as you would watch a wave roll onto the shore.  Allow the story to create a delicate imprint, long enough to notice, short enough to not grasp, ruminate or over contrive the situation.  Remember, there is no right or wrong, just be.

“When you look at the sun during your walking meditation, the mindfulness of the body helps you to see that the sun is in you; without the sun there is no life at all and suddenly you get in touch with the sun in a different way.”

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Well Done on completing Day 5 of the Ezense Mindfulness & Meditation Course!

To continue on to Day 6, simply click on the next day’s button below. But please note: it won’t be accessible until it is time to be released as outlined in the Daily Schedule. Also remember, you can always come back to this page to go over any material in a previous Day at any time during your access to this course to this 7 Day course.