A daily 5 minute meditation practice for the busy mind

This daily meditation practice (also called mindfulness) is an effective way to quieten the mind and allow the self to experience the benefits of being in the now.  Being in the now allows the individual to forget the past and the future, and appreciate what you have right now.  Experiencing this on a regular basis (ie practicing daily) allows one to manage the mind and therefore develop control over complicated situations...

Please take your time with this exercise - assume you have all the time in the world.
OK Lets get started.  Find a comfortable place to sit (on a chair with your back straight or cross legged on the floor) where you won't be disturbed.  The head and the neck area should not feel strained.  Keep your hands relaxed on the lap and palms facing up.

With your eyes closed follow steps a), b) and c):

a)  Firstly, if you are seated on a chair keeping your feet flat on the floor, visualise roots growing from under your feet and into the ground.  If you are seated on the floor see your spine extending from the base and into the ground.  Keep going till you hit the centre of the earth.  Feel your roots locked in, keeping you firmly on the ground.  This will help you to feel secure. 
Spend 1 min on this.

b)  Secondly bringing your focus back to yourself start breathing normally (ie rythematically).  As you inhale feel the air entering the nostrils and then as you exhale feel the air exiting you nostril.  The point at which the air enters and exits will vary from person to person.  You will notice this point if you concentrate fully - you will feel the air gently touching your skin at that very point.  At no point during this exercise should you hold your breath.  This will help you to focus on what is happening now.
Spend 2 mins on this.

c)  Thirdly you are going to change the rythem of your breathing.  Now you will be working with deep breathing.  Inhale deeply.  Feel your abdomen expanding full of air, then your ribs expanding and finally feel your lungs full of air.  Next exhale completely - feel all the air exiting your lungs, then feel your ribs contracting and then feel all the air exiting your abdomen.  At no point during this exercise should you hold your breath.  This will enable optimum oxygenation of your cells and maximum removal of waste.  This leads to improved memory function and increased brain performance.
Spend 2 mins on this.

Calmly return to normal breathing.  Feel yourself secured to the earth and open your eyes when ready.

Here are a few challenges:
1)  Spend 1 min on (a) or even less, 5 mins on (b) and 5 mins on (c).  Approximately a total of 10 mins
2)  Do the 5 min exercise with noise around you
3)  Do the 10 min exercise with noise around you

Good Luck!!

medini@mindbodysoulsanctuary.com
http://www.mindbodysoulsanctuary.com/