MEDITATE MEDITATE While You WaitWhile You Wait

A Mind-Body Technique Offered to You by A Mind-Body Technique Offered to You by thethe

~Columbia Integrative Medicine ~Columbia Integrative Medicine Program~Program~

www.ColumbiaIntegrativeMedicine.orgwww.ColumbiaIntegrativeMedicine.org

Meditation Meditation is simpler is simpler

than you think.than you think.

In fact, In fact, you might be you might be

doing it doing it right now.right now.

There are many There are many forms forms

of meditation.of meditation.

One form of One form of meditation meditation

is referred to as is referred to as ~mindfulness~~mindfulness~

Mindfulness means Mindfulness means that you are that you are

paying attention… paying attention… on purpose… on purpose… to whatever is to whatever is happening… happening…

moment by moment…moment by moment…

Paying attention Paying attention to whatever is to whatever is

happening happening in the moment in the moment

may be simple… may be simple… but it is not but it is not

necessarily easy.necessarily easy.

The key to mindfulness is The key to mindfulness is

not only NOTICING not only NOTICING what happens… what happens… in your mind… in your mind… in your body… in your body…

all around you….all around you….

The key to The key to mindfulness meditation mindfulness meditation

is is NOTICING NOTICING

WITHOUT JUDGING.WITHOUT JUDGING.

You can use You can use this very moment this very moment

to practice to practice mindfulness.mindfulness.

Perhaps you were Perhaps you were simply walking by simply walking by when this monitor when this monitor

caught your caught your attention…attention…

What are you What are you aware of right aware of right

now?now?

Can you hear that Can you hear that familiar little familiar little

voice voice inside your head?inside your head?

It’s the little voice It’s the little voice that asks the that asks the

questions questions and evaluates and evaluates everything... everything...

You know the one….You know the one….

Can you hear your Can you hear your mind mind

as it makes as it makes judgments about judgments about whether or not whether or not you should read you should read

further? further?

Your mind asks things Your mind asks things like:like:

Is this worth it? Is this worth it? Do I have time for this? Do I have time for this?

Should I keep on Should I keep on reading? reading?

Know that your Know that your questions questions

are are just thoughtsjust thoughts. . We judge and evaluate We judge and evaluate

environments, environments, situations situations

and interactionsand interactionsALL of the timeALL of the time..

When we are being When we are being mindful mindful

of ourof our thoughts… evaluations… thoughts… evaluations…

judgments… conclusions… judgments… conclusions…

questions…questions… WE SIMPLY WE SIMPLY

NOTICE THEM.NOTICE THEM.

There is nothing There is nothing right or wrong right or wrong

about what we are about what we are thinking… thinking…

it’s just it’s just what we are thinking…what we are thinking…

Now Now become aware become aware of your breath.of your breath.

Notice the sensation Notice the sensation of cool air of cool air

at your nostrils at your nostrils as you inhale as you inhale each breath…each breath…

Inhale…Inhale…

~just ~just notice~notice~

Exhale…Exhale…

Notice the Notice the sensation sensation

of warmer air of warmer air when you exhale…when you exhale…

Inhale…Inhale…

~just ~just notice~notice~

Exhale…Exhale…

What What do you notice do you notice

right now?right now?

Are you aware of Are you aware of the position the position of your body of your body

in this moment? in this moment?

Maybe you are Maybe you are leaning on one leaning on one

foot more than the foot more than the other as you stand other as you stand

and watch…and watch…

Maybe you are Maybe you are sitting and you sitting and you

notice notice that you feel the seat that you feel the seat

beneath you… beneath you…

Perhaps you notice Perhaps you notice that your legs are that your legs are crossed… or that crossed… or that your hands are your hands are clenched tight…clenched tight…

Whatever you notice Whatever you notice in your body is alright… in your body is alright…

there’s there’s nothingnothing you you need need

to changeto change or or to do differentlyto do differently… …

you are just being you are just being mindful of your body…mindful of your body…

If you want to, If you want to, bring your bring your attention attention

to your emotions to your emotions right now…right now…

Perhaps you are feeling Perhaps you are feeling concerned or restless…. concerned or restless….

Maybe you feel Maybe you feel relieved relieved

or have a sense of or have a sense of contentment.contentment.

Whatever Whatever you may be feeling you may be feeling

is fine.is fine.

There is nothing wrong There is nothing wrong with your feelings~with your feelings~

there is nothing right there is nothing right with your feelings~ with your feelings~

they are just what you feel.they are just what you feel.

Just notice Just notice what you notice.what you notice.

Be aware of Be aware of your body.your body.

Feel yourself Feel yourself breathe.breathe.

There is There is nothing nothing right or right or wrong.wrong.

Simply noticeSimply noticethat you are here…that you are here…

right now…right now…

… … and wherever and wherever you go… there you go… there

you are…you are…

You have just completed You have just completed a brief mindfulness a brief mindfulness

meditation.meditation.

For more information about this For more information about this mindfulness meditation mindfulness meditation

or other useful mind-body techniques, or other useful mind-body techniques, please contact the please contact the

Columbia Integrative Medicine Columbia Integrative Medicine Program Program

# 212.342.0002# 212.342.0002

Visit our website at: Visit our website at: www.ColumbiaIntegrativeMedicinewww.ColumbiaIntegrativeMedicine

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