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One of my favorite mindfulness authors is Thich Nhat Hanh -- and
my favorite book by him is Peace Is Every Step: the Path of Mindfulness
in Everyday Life. (You can read an extensive Book Review in The Guide to Self-Help Books - Previous Pick of the Week.)
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Peace is Every Step is simply written in short chapters that can
be read each day as a reminder to nourish awareness and
mindfulness. This book encourages me to be in touch with my
breath as I go through my days, awake and alive to each moment as
it is unfolding.
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So, right now, as you read this, I would encourage you to become
conscious of the life-sustaining presence of your breath in this
moment.
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Notice that you are breathing in and that you are breathing out.
What does it feel like in your body to breathe in? What is the
feeling of breathing out? What is the difference between the
inhalation and the exhalation? Where do you notice the presence
of the breath in your body? Do you feel the presence and energy
of the breath in the nostrils, in the throat, in the lungs, in
the belly?
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Take a few moments to really feel the touch of the breath inside
your body. With each outbreath, begin to relax as you let your
shoulders fall away from your ears.
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As you breathe in, you can mentally say to yourself, "I know that
I am breathing in." As you breathe out, say to yourself, "I know
that I am breathing out." You can shorten those phrases to "in"
as you breathe in and "out" as you breathe out
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For the next few breaths, allow 95% of your awareness to remain
on the physical feeling of the breath and perhaps 5% of your
awareness to rest on the soft mental naming of "in" with inbreath
and "out" with outbreath.
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After a few breaths, what do you notice? What effect does this
awareness of the breath have on you physically, mentally,
emotionally, and spiritually?
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Now, as you breathe in, say to yourself: "May I open to the
presence of calm within me." As you breathe out, say to
yourself, "May I continually dwell in the present moment with
gratitude and joy."
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Take several opportunities to be aware of your breath today!
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