by Kerry Pieri

Buddhists define mindfulness as, “the practice of being present and aware of one's thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment or distraction.” Eckhart Tolle says it’s, “a practice to free the mind from its constant thoughts and experience a state of stillness.” No matter how you interpret it, mindfulness can often fall under the heading “easier said than done.” 

It can feel like the world comes at us relentlessly, matched only by our endless stream of (sometimes intrusive) thoughts. The truth is that coming into a state of mindfulness isn’t a one-size fits all approach. While some might take to seated half hour meditations seamlessly, others will face only agitation and distraction. In that spirit, Agent Nateur asked various practitioners, mental health professionals, and spiritual wellness advocates for one particular path to cultivating daily mindfulness, hopefully one suits you perfectly. 

Heidi Smith, therapist and founder of Moon and Bloom, author of The Uncommon Book of Prayer

Integrate a Mantra

We're resourced to handle stress when we are calm and present, which can be a challenge, particularly during busy times of the year. Try creating a simple mantra to orient yourself in the present moment such as, "I allow myself to fully be here now. I am open to all the ways I can be calm and present." 

Try saying this upon waking and going to sleep, and anytime throughout the day when you feel the need to return to presence. 

Jasmine Marie, author, speaker, CEO & Founder of black girls breathing®

Do a Grounding Breathwork Practice to Stay Centered

The holidays and after are notorious for feelings of overwhelm, grief, and loneliness. Instead of needing to replace those feelings, we can honor them, witness them and by doing so we can make space for new emotions and even new holiday traditions to emerge.

Tap into this oceanic breathwork practice that allows our inhales and exhales to expand enough for us to slow a rapid heartbeat and put our nervous system in a relaxed state.

With your mouth wide open, inhale through the mouth slowly, allowing your chest and diaphragm to fully rise. Exhale out of the mouth slowly, depleting your lungs and feeling your stomach compress. Repeat at least 3 times or until you feel more grounded in the present moment. Know that you are right where you need to be in this holiday season, take good, kind, and gentle care of yourself.

Astrid Schmidt

Get Cozy with Your Shadow

In the winter we are more introspective and invited into deeper awareness of our shadow. Take time to become curious about what is "on tap" in your inner world. Our shadow is what we don't like, don't know or understand about ourselves. If there is any energy that feels a little vague, murky, uncomfortable etc, take time to sit and face it. Invite it in for tea. Become fascinated with what you might prefer to avoid. 

Journal on whatever comes up for a few minutes a day for a few days. Ask god, angels, universe to show you what you are meant to learn or understand from this feeling or part of your experience. This practice will help whatever is hiding in the shadows lose it's power and likely transform. What would you like to be feeling if not this? Here you can plant seeds of intention that will germinate and blossom in Spring.

Choosing to turn towards any pain, confusion, murkiness helps us build confidence and grow spiritually. It's also a great remedy for the culture that encourages us to eradicate pain and discomfort. Turning towards it shows us we have nothing to fear except a more intimate understanding of our Truth. When we get large enough to hold all of the parts we come into our personal power & wholeness. 

Steve Macari, Founder Heal With O.U.T and Qigong Practitioner 

Practice the Inner Smile

The Inner Smile is a form of meditative Qigong that can harmonize the 5 main Yin Organs in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and the emotions that are associated with them. 

Preparation:

Sit comfortably in a chair with the spine straight. Rest your hands comfortably on your lap.Close your eyes and think of something that brings a warm smile to your face. Concentrate that energy in the area between the brow (the 3rd eye).

1. Move that smile (and your hands) to your heart. Inhale and exhale and release all the anxiety from your heart.

2. Move that smile (and your hands) to your lungs (both the left and the right)  Inhale and exhale and release all the grief from your lungs.

3. Move that smile (and your hands) to your liver (lower right rib cage). Inhale and release all the anger from your liver.

4. Move that smile (and your hands) to your kidneys (lower back, left and right side). Inhale and release all the fear from your kidneys.

5. Move that smile (and your hands) to your spleen (lower left rib cage). Inhale and release all the worry from your spleen.

Bring the hands to the belly button, one on top of the other. Feel that inner smile flowing through all of the organs and radiating out to the world.

Nicole Sachs, LCSW and author of Mind Your Body: A Revolutionary Program to Release Chronic Pain and Anxiety 

Try Expressive Writing

I teach a practice called JournalSpeak which is a targeted form of expressive writing that allows the voice of the inner child to be heard and witnessed, helping to regulate the nervous system. When we stop repressing our emotions, there is great healing as we move from fight or flight to rest and repair. Put 20 minutes on the timer and write from a voice that is unconcerned about being polite or calm. Allow rage, shame, grief, and other other deep feelings to speak, and at the end of 20 minutes, delete or rip up the writing and sit for a short, self-compassion meditation. It's incredible how freeing it can be to express yourself without fear! 

George Macpherson, Sound Meditation and Breathwork Practitioner, founder, Sound of the Times 

Introduce Sound Meditations Into Your Routine

Sound meditation is a practice that can offer both an accessible entry point for beginners to mindfulness, all the way through to those wishing to connect more deeply to consciousness and inner exploration. Sound is the anchor, companion and teacher toward a meditative awareness of the present moment. I purposefully use this method to shift beyond passive hearing toward actively listening, offering space between thoughts, deep rest and relief of physical, emotional or mental tension.

A short informative introduction, breathwork techniques, vocal toning + humming all lead participants to purposefully move from a busy mind, turning attention inward, deeper into the body. Each sequence assists and prepares the whole body to notice, listen and feel sound from a range of overtone-emitting instruments to inspire wonder and awe such as antique Himalayan bowls, chimes, tuning forks and symphonic gong.

You leave feeling rested, regenerated, calm, embodied, and set-up to be more attuned to sound throughout your days.

Jordan Flesher, M.A. Psychology, Therapist and Coach

Level Up Your Morning Coffee

Make your morning coffee ritual into a powerful manifestation ritual. As you stir, imagine that you are stirring your intentions for the day into your coffee (or tea). You can say things like, “I can focus on positive momentum today,” or, “I can focus on things that make me feel good.” Choose your mantra. You stir the coffee like a cauldron, putting your intentions, whatever they are, from money to love into the beverage,, then you drink the coffee and therefore the intentions into your awareness. It’s a simple technique to start off your day with positive momentum. That’s how the universe works,  through the law of attraction.