Mini Mindfulness Exercises

Wellness Expert and Spa Director, Lina Lotto shares her helpful mindfulness tips for a calmer, happier you.

In a world filled with noise, more and more of us are focusing on the way in which we distress and reconnect with what is important around us. ‘Mindfulness’ is a term we hear a lot these days in relation to stress management, but what does it actually mean?

Mindfulness is a form of meditation that enables our minds to relax yet feel alert. It’s the practice of being fully present in the moment, allowing thoughts to come and go but always bringing your attention back to the present moment. If you find yourself engrossed in obsessive thoughts like fearing the future or fretting about the past, mindfulness could be a really useful tool to better manage anxiety.

There are many useful tools out there, but I prefer to go back to basics with my exercises. By following these simple exercises you can incorporate mindfulness into your day to day routines:

Tip 1 – Showering

This is a 5 -10 minute meditation session.

Focusing the mind on one thing is a technique in many types of meditation which helps to calm and relax. In this mini mindfulness exercise you focus on showering. Most people find showering really pleasant and as it’s something we do daily, adding mindfulness techniques super boost its beneficial effects. Showering in this way heightens and raises awareness which in turn calms and relaxes the mind and body.

• Feel the sensation of the water on your skin and hair.
• Feel the temperature and the pressure of the water.
• Hear the sound as it falls and sprays.
• Observe the droplets splashing on your body.
• Take time to feel your skin’s texture, see its colour.
• Deeply inhale the scent of the soap as you wash, feel the lather.
• Notice how your aches diminish and you relax under the heat of the water.
• Keep focused on sensations.
• If other distracting thoughts enter, simply witness them and return your attention to observing.

Tip 2 – Put your Feet Up

Lie on your back and put your feet up against the wall for anything from 5-20 minutes depending on how much time you have. This is a huge relief for legs and feet after a long day. It allows blood to flow away from feet and legs releasing pressure on veins and you can feel the relief immediately. Doing this daily works wonders for feet and legs and helps prevent swelling especially for people who are sitting or on the go all day.

Better still, if you have more time, soak your feet for 5 minutes in warm water with a handful of Himalayan Bath Salts added.

• Towel dry, massage calves and feet using our Uplifting Daily Ritual Body Lotion. The addition of our uplifting essential oil blend ensures that skin is left hydrated whilst your mind is renewed.
• Now elevate your legs and feel the difference a bit of pampering and therapy makes to your sense of wellbeing.

Tip 3 – Go for a Walk

Take a soothing 1 hour stroll to a calm place. Take a moment to absorb what is around you; the scents, the feeling of fresh air on your skin, the sights of birds, the trees moving in the breeze, the crunch of leaves beneath your feet and listen to the sounds of nature as you move slowly along the path.