Mindful living
by Genevieve Middlebrook
We thoroughly deserve a pat on the back for how strong, resilient and patient we have all been during the pandemic. Our physical and mental wellbeing have taken a battering, so it’s now time to make some time for you to build you back up so you are ready to live life to the full.
There can be many ways to stay mindful but understanding the basics are really all that you need to live your life mindfully. Below are a few techniques that incorporate breath and movement to help you stay grounded. Breathing into the present moment Breath is one of the most important aspects of becoming present and grounded in the moment. Noticing where you tense or hold the breath you begin to realise how easy it is for you to fall into that pattern because you’ve always been used to it, right? Many of us hold our bellies in, tense our neck and shoulders and it’s about understanding why we are feeling like this and what is our trigger. A tip to help with this is to check in with your breath and notice if you are holding on to any tension in the body. To enable you to relax and breathe naturally, imagine your
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ribs expanding out 360°. As you breathe in, open up your belly but also the whole torso. As you exhale, imagine your ribs shifting towards each other and relax your belly. This breathing technique allows you to release any unwanted tension. By focusing on your breath, you are already becoming present in the moment, aiming to regulate and be in control. Flow into the start of your day I always find that by starting your day on a good note, the rest of the day follows in suit. For me, I find it hard to stay motivated throughout the rest of the day if I procrastinate in the morning or I don’t push myself to get active and moving. The morning is a great place to start becoming mindful. Below is a five step yoga flow that allows you to keep moving in a slow and mindful
movement which warms up the body, creates energy and allows for better range of movement. Start by standing feet hip width apart and feel the ground beneath your feet. Close your eyes and just check in with how you are feeling. Shift your weight forward and back and side to side and find a centre point that balances you evenly. Drop the shoulders and release any tension in the body by using your 360° breath. Roll each vertebrae starting from head, cervical, thoracic and then lumber until you reach a forward fold position. Hang loosely with the arms, release the shoulders down, relax the neck by nodding the head yes and no and just keep the pose nice and passive.
