Read and then listen to the audio to practice Mindfulness of Breath, Breathing Space, or Breathings Space Responsive.

The Mindful Way Through Depression, Guilford Press

Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn

THE THREE-MINUTE BREATHING SPACE

Step 1. Becoming Aware

Begin by deliberately adopting an erect and dignified posture, whether you are sitting or standing.

If possible, close your eyes. Then, bringing your awareness to your inner experience, ask:

• What thoughts are going through my mind? As best you can, acknowledging thoughts as mental events, perhaps putting them into words.

• What feelings are here? Turning toward any sense of emotional discomfort or unpleasant feelings, acknowledging their presence.

• What body sensations are here right now? Perhaps quickly scanning the body to pick up any sensations of tightness or bracing.

Step 2. Gathering

Then direct your attention to focus on the physical sensations of the breath breathing itself.

Move in close to the sense of the breath in the belly. . . feeling the sensations of the belly wall expanding as the breath comes in. . . and falling back as the breath goes out. Follow the breath all the way in and all the way out, using the breathing to anchor yourself in the present.

Step 3. Expanding

Now expand the field of your awareness around your breathing so that, in addition to the

sensations of the breath, it includes a sense of the body as a whole, your posture, and facial expression.

If you become aware of any sensations of discomfort, tension, or resistance, zero in on them by breathing into them on each in breath and breathing out from them on each out-breath as you soften and open. If you want to, you might, say to yourself on the out breath,

“It’s okay . . . whatever it is, it’s already here: Let me feel it.”

As best you can, bring this expanded awareness into the next moments of your day.