3 Minute Mindfulness Practice

Sometimes it’s difficult to do a full twenty minute meditation for various reasons. Zindel Segal* has done a lot of research on meditation and its positive effects and so the process identified the three minute mindfulness practice. It is easy to do and it is quick. Importantly position emotional experiences often follow.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Bring your attention to whatever is going on in the moment. Notice what you’re feeling physically and emotionally and what you’re thinking. Do this for one minute.

2. Let go of that and bring our attention to your breath. You may feel it in your nostrils, in your chest, or in your diaphragm/abdomen. Wherever the breath is follow it. Do this for about one minute.

3. (3) Keep attention on your breath and notice as well anything else you are now feeling physically or emotionally and notice your thoughts as well. Do this for about one minute.

That’s it!

You may have practiced a number of times before you notice a positive effect, especially if you do not have experience with mindfulness or meditation.

Notice how you experience your focus related to goals tasks after the three minute mindfulness practice.

Enjoy the experience. See you next time.

*Zindel Segal is a distinguished professor of Psychology in mood disorder at University of Toronto, a cofounder of MBCT.