Let's begin the mindful breathing exercise.
Settle into a comfortable position.
Once you are comfortable, soften your gaze in front of you.
Take a deep breath in through your nose… and out through your mouth…
Focus on long, deep breaths…
Breathe in … and breathe out … feel your belly rise and fall with every breath.
Think of each inhale as breathing in fresh, positive air and energy … and each exhale as releasing all of the stress in your body.
Remember to breathe slowly and fully by inhaling … and exhaling …
Now we’ll spend a minute continuing to focus solely on the sensation of your breath.
When the mind wanders – as it does – practice bringing your attention back to your breath and your breathing pattern.
If you noticed your mind wandering … this is ok and normal.
Use your breath as an anchor to bring your awareness into the present moment.
Breathe in that fresh air… and release all of the tension in your body as you exhale.
Breathe in … breathe out …
I hope this session has helped you ease up some built-up tension from your day.
Are YOU feeling more at ease now?
Absolutely!
Not really
A little bit
Written By: Yiyi Wang
Yiyi Wang is a 4th year PhD student in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto, Mississauga, focusing on the study of mindfulness and its implications for overall wellbeing. Her research centers on the transformative potential of technology-based mindfulness practices, specifically examining their influence on emotion regulation, meaning-making, and value identification among individuals. Yiyi's current work also investigates the effectiveness of innovative mental health interventions, including online tools and self-developed chatbots, in enhancing students' coping skills and overall wellbeing.