Great reminder from my amazing Pilates teacher Lucy during the classes!
“This is life, one breath at the time” Sharon Salzberg.
Breathing is a very basic and essential function of the body. Yet much neglected.
The 3 minute Breathing Space is a very popular practice developed by Mark Williams, John Teasdale and Zindal Zegalis (founders of the Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy protocol).
It is essentially a mini-version of a more formal meditation, a quick and beneficial practice to embed in our daily habits.
What are the benefits?
Just to mention a few:
- Patterns of negative thoughts are dissolved before we start to be absorbed by them.
- It is an extremely powerful last minute one, especially when under pressure just before
starting to disengage from the present moment. As a result, we get more clarity and reconnect with ourselves.
The stages of the practice
- Awareness
It might be advisable to start by stopping and ask the following questions.
“What am noticing as I go inwards?” “What is my mood right now”, “What are my body sensations?
- Moment of preparation
At this stage an observation of the breathing cycles can be beneficial, for a feeling of anchoring. Bring the attention to the abdomen rising and falling (a bit like a balloon), feel like you were riding the waves of your breathing
- Expand oneself
At this stage, notice the wholeness of your body (posture, position in the space around us). Switch to a relaxation posture (via a body scan) letting any tensions into the body ease up, feel openness. One breath at a time.
Over time this will become increasingly natural and organic. Trust yourself and a process of self-healing, believing, allowing and trusting. It is not going to prevent from experiencing pain but help respond with more awareness.
You will come to a realisation that emotions are transient and do not define who you are, your most authentic self.
Happy breathing!
Here is my end of the year gift before the end of 2020
for a practice of the 3 minute breathing space meditation.
This can be practiced any time as a short mini meditation.
Paola Francesi 