Guided mindfulness meditations for home practice
Week 1 -
What is Mindfulness?
Home Practice
Informal: Decide on an activity [brief 1 to 2 minutes at most] you do every day (brushing your teeth, walking, eating a meal, feeding your pet, waiting in a queue (at bus stop or when grocery shopping etc.) – notice your breath as it is, take a couple of longer breaths – notice how that feels to breathe.
Formal: Mindfulness of Breath Meditation (Breath Anchor)
Breath Anchor
Week 2 -
Mindfulness of Body
Home Practice
Informal: One time per day, observe more closely when pleasant sensations arise
Formal: One time per day, practice either the Mindfulness of Body Meditation (Body Anchor) or Mindfulness of Breath Meditation (Breath Anchor, week 1).
Alternatively, notice how it feels to brush your teeth.
Body Anchor
Week 3 -
Mindfulness of Emotions
Home Practice
Informal: One time per day, observe more closely, when unpleasant sensations arrive. How do these sensations feel like in your body? Where are they located?
Formal: Daily (if possible) practice the RAIN meditation to practice being self-compassionate toward emotions rising in your body and/or practice one of the meditations from week 1 (mindfulness of breath) or 2 (mindfulness of touch points in the body)
RAIN
Week 4 -
Mindfulness of Thought
Home Practice
Informal: One time per day, observe your thoughts – notice the type of thoughts, then actively press pause – focus on your anchor for 30seconds or so.
By the end of the week: write down your top 5 tunes.
Formal: Daily (if possible) practice the Mindfulness of Thoughts Meditation or one of the anchor meditations from week 1 or 2.
Week 5 -
Lovingkindness
Home Practice
Informal: One time per day (if possible), pay attention to a moment where you experience a felt sense of love
Formal: Try out (min. once) the Recorded Loving Kindness Meditation and perhaps consider including a daily practice of one of the anchor meditations from week 1 or 2.
