Spring Exercises in Mindfulness
Welcome to spring! The change in seasons presents the perfect opportunity to pay attention to the smaller details in life. Details like the flowers blooming and the clouds changing often go unnoticed as we hustle and bustle from one day to the next. By noticing those changes and being mindful you are able to ground yourself and be more present in the moment. So, how can you continue on the journey of mindfulness this spring? Here are 5 short exercises to get you on your way!*
Notice what is alive
Look out the window or go outside and notice what is alive as you are peering around. Find and count each shade of green in your field of vision. This allows you to focus on small details you might not notice when taking in the bigger picture. As you notice each thing you can accept its presence and express gratefulness for its existence.
Tree in bloom
As the trees begin to bloom, you can too! Using a mantra is an amazing way to maintain focus and increase positive energy. For this exercise, stand tall with the confidence of a huge tree. As you breath in say to yourself, “I see myself as a tree”. As you breathe out say to yourself “ I feel confident and strong”. Repeat this for 5 sets of breaths. This can be used as a grounding technique any time you need to feel strong and confident.
Spring RAIN
RAIN is a way for you to explore your feelings as they exist without judgment. The way to do this is: Recognize what you are feeling. Allow (or ask) the feeling to stay for a moment. Investigate how it feels and see that it is Not personal. By stepping back and allowing yourself to observe the emotions you are having, room is made for opinion to be removed and acceptance to begin.
Old as New
Spring-cleaning can offer a sense of “new” in a world of “old”. But often times we become jaded by the old and don’t take its presence into account in a mindful way. One way to incorporate mindfulness into your spring-cleaning is by picking up something you use every day and exploring it with your full attention. Use all of your senses and stay with it until you notice something new.
The Spring Rainbow
Many of us get that happy feeling in the pit of our stomach when spotting an unexpected rainbow but we fail to recognize the rainbow of colors around us at all other times. As you look around the room try to spot every color of the rainbow in the items you see. This will require your presence in the moment while allowing you to observe the beauty and bounty of colors around you.
Trying these exercises will provide you with the opportunity to increase your mindfulness skills will the added benefit of enjoying spring with renewed interest. Enjoy!
*These exercises were adapted from Mitch Abblett & Chris Willard’s “Growing Mindful” card deck.
