MiNdfulness

The primary goal of mindful breathing is simply a calm, non-judging awareness, allowing thoughts and feelings to come and go without getting caught up in them.

Sit comfortably, with your eyes closed and your spine reasonably straight.

Bring your attention to your breathing.

Imagine that you have a balloon in your tummy. Every time you breathe in, the balloon inflates. Each time you breathe out, the balloon deflates. Notice the sensations in your abdomen as the balloon inflates and deflates. Your abdomen rising with the in-breath, and falling with the out-breath.

Thoughts will come into your mind, and that’s okay, because that’s just what the human mind does. Simply notice those thoughts, then bring your attention back to your breathing.

Likewise, you can notice sounds, physical feelings, and emotions, and again, just bring your attention back to your breathing.

You don’t have to follow those thoughts or feelings, don’t judge yourself for having them, or analyse them in any way. It’s okay for the thoughts to be there. Just notice those thoughts, and let them drift on by, bringing your attention back to your breathing.

Whenever you notice that your attention has drifted off and is becoming caught up in thoughts or feelings, simply note that the attention has drifted, and then gently bring the attention back to your breathing.

It's okay and natural for thoughts to enter into your awareness, and for your attention to follow them. No matter how many times this happens, just keep bringing your attention back to your breathing.

We can use colour to help influence our emotions and ability to cope, by:

• Wearing colour

• Drinking or eating colour

• Visualising or meditating with colour (e.g. colour breathing)

• Surrounding ourselves with colour (green garden, blue sky etc)

Black contains no colour, and white contains all colours.

Brown contains red, blue and yellow.

From the table in 'Colour for Mental Health, choose the colour relating what you feel you need.

• Make yourself comfortable whether sitting or lying.

• Close your eyes, and bring your attention to your breathing.

Anytime that other thoughts, images, sounds or sensations come to mind, just notice them, and then gently bring your attention back to your breathing, and your colour.

Perhaps imagine that you have a balloon in your belly, and notice how the balloon inflates as you breathe in, and deflates as you breathe out. Notice the sensations in your abdomen as your belly rises as the balloon inflates on the inbreath, and falls as the balloon deflates on the outbreath.

Now visualise your colour, perhaps in the form of light, or mist. If it’s difficult to visualise that colour, just imagine, in your mind’s eye, something that is that colour – for instance green grass, or blue sea or sky, orange sunset, pink dawn. See it in front of you, over you, surrounding you, enveloping you. As you slowly breathe, become aware of breathing in your colour, into your nose, your throat, your chest and abdomen. Imagine now that colour spreading out within you, into every part of your body, and notice the effects that it has.

• Notice the sensations in your body, as this coloured light or mist, flows into and spreads throughout your body and mind.

• Notice how the colour is affecting your body, and your mind, as you allow it to gently flow and infuse your body and mind.

• Continue to notice the colour and the sensations that it brings.

Anytime that your attention wanders, simply notice that it’s wandered, then gently bring your focus back to your colour.

Whenever you’re ready, start to bring your attention back to the here and now, where you are. Open your eyes and look around, noticing what you see and what you hear. Take a couple of breaths and notice the pleasing sensations that accompany this relaxing coloured breathing.