With an attitude of kindness and curiosity
Direct your attention
to feeling the sensations
of your next 3 breaths
image by M. Lee Freedman
"When you pay close attention to each moment, you can start to see the small wonders of life. Maybe the sky is a fabulous shade of blue today. Maybe your best friend’s smile warms your heart. There are wonders in every moment, just waiting for you to be present and recognize them. Maybe if you pay close attention, it feels good just to breathe. The cool air entering your lungs—how wonderful that can feel, like a glass of cool water on a hot day! Even when things are stressful in your life, this very breath can be a small moment of joy. Just by paying attention to your breath, you might feel grateful to be alive, grateful that your lungs are working and that you have air to breathe.
Be careful, however, to not get too attached to whatever it is you’re enjoying. Perhaps you have a tendency to want to hold on to happy moments, wishing every moment could be like that. But every moment can’t be happy, and, in hard times, wishing for things to be different than the way they are will only increase your suffering. With mindfulness, you can breathe in and enjoy, then breathe out and let go. You don’t need to hold on to anything. Each breath heralds a new moment—and, perhaps, something new to enjoy. You can practice mindfulness in this way anytime, no matter where you are."
Dr, Dzung Vo
Excerpt from The Mindful Teen Book
Wishing you moments to notice the wonders of life today
Lee
M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)
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