3 Quick Exercises to "Quiet" The Mind

I have a lot of friends say to me ‘Brodes I’ve tried meditating before but it’s just not for me, I couldn’t stop thinking’…and my response to these people is ‘CONGRATULATIONS! Noticing that you were thinking and that your mind was racing is the first step to meditating!’

The following mindfulness exercises are for those of you who have dipped the toe into meditating but the practice just hasn’t ‘stuck’ or you felt ‘not good at it’. If you do want to learn even more ways to live a better more fulfilled life and support your mental health then we would love to have you on our Bali retreat coming up very soon 26th July - 2nd August in our own private sanctuary in Ubud.

So guys…my challenge for you today isn’t to try meditating again, it’s to simply try one or all of the below mindfulness techniques, let go of the pressure to be perfect at it, let go of the frustration of it not being easy first time, and just see if it brings a little more grounding, calming and peace into your day.

I promise you the more you practice the easier it will become.

1. Pay attention to the sounds around you.

Sit. Close your eyes and tune into the world around you, becoming aware of the space around you. See if you can extend your awareness outside of the room you are in and notice all the sounds outside. Focus on one sound for a few moments and then jump to the next sound and like this just keep jumping from sound to sound. Instead of trying to block out sounds, hear them and then let them go.

2. Do a slow, even, body scan.

Allow yourself a slow even body scan from the crown of your head all the way down to the tips of your toes. Build a picture of how your body feels. Take your time. There’s no rush. Move your attention nice and slowly through your body from your head, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, belly, hips, legs, ankles, feet, toes. Soak everything up, and find full body awareness.

3. Follow your own breath.

Follow your breath with your attention as it moves in and out of your nostrils. Pay attention to where you feel your breath the most, and start to deepen it slightly from that place. No forcing necessary on the breath, don’t try to change it too much; just feel its natural, flowing rhythm and allow it to become deeper and deeper with every inhalation and exhalation.