Mind Tools & Inspirations: Special qualities
This 3-minute experience can help you begin to deepen your appreciation or understanding of a person in your life.
TRY THIS…
If you have time, let me guide you so you can focus on your experience.
HERE IS THE PRACTICE
Close your eyes and bring your attention to your breath.
Without trying to change anything, notice the speed of your inhale. Is it fast or slow?
How completely do you fill your lungs when you inhale?
Without trying to change anything, notice the speed of your exhale. Do you exhale quickly or slowly?
When you exhale do you release most of the air in your lungs, of just a little?
Now invite a person in your life to come to mind.
Focus your attention on your sense of that person.
Be curious and observe what your mind does as it focuses attention on your sense of that person.
Invite something special about that person to arise.
Don’t go looking. Quiet your mind and wait for something special about that person to show up.
Appreciate that special quality.
Return your attention to your breathing. Noticing the qualities of your breath.
WHY DO THIS?
In this experience you are using your mind in a different way.
Meditating on your sense of a person is not the same as thinking about them.
Allowing something special about that person to arise is not the same as trying to think of something special.
Directing attention, observing what your mind does, and allowing can lead to insights.
This practice is a tool you can use to help you understand and appreciate people in your life.
LET ME KNOW WHAT HAPPENS FOR YOU
Hearing about what happens for you when you do this practice helps me understand what works and doesn’t work for different people. It helps me gain a better sense of the effects of the practice.
If you’re willing to share, email me! carrie.heeter@gmail.com
Mind Tools & Inspirations are experiences for busy, smart, curious people to help you operate your human system.
To access the full set of Mind Tools visit https://substack.com/@yogamindtools
I add a new experience every week.
Kindly,
Carrie
Carrie Heeter, PhD
Yoga Mind Tools
It's always interesting thinking about a short or long breath because breathing is so unique to each of us. When listening to a meditation and following along with breathing (ironically not in this specific meditation) , my individual pace is usually so different. When first being asked to think about if it was a short or long breath, I wasn't really sure! I love how simultaneously universal and personal a meditation can be.