Practicing Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the act of being completely present in a given moment; acknowledging your thoughts and letting them go without judgement. This practice can help you reap the benefits of your self-care routine - it reduces stress and anxiety, evoking a sense of contentment with the life you live.

Getting started

Take a moment each day to practise mindfulness.
Bring awareness to your breathing.
Bring awareness to your body
Bring awareness to your thoughts.

Simple tips

  • Start small, commit to once a week, for 20-30 minutes. Then add one or two more sessions a week as needed.
  • Find a studio and teacher(s) you connect with or find an online class. A “live teacher” is great to get direct feedback, but our busy schedules don’t always accommodate going to a studio. There are many great online classes to choose from; a quick Google or YouTube search will give you plenty of class options.
  • View this yoga time as your “pause time.” Time to put the phone aside, to forget about the to-do lists and social/work obligations, time to breathe and reset.
  • Meet yourself where you’re at. You don’t need to fold yourself into a pretzel to claim you “did yoga.” Go at your own pace and be nice to your body and to yourself. One of the principles of yoga is ahimsa, which means “no harm.” Remember: Yoga is a healing practice.

FAQs

Just come back to your breath, focusing on your inhales and exhales. Try to feel the air moving through your nose and down to your abdomen - this will prevent you from getting distracted by the external world.