Three Minute Reset

Three-minute Breathing Space meditation

The light and spaciousness of awareness seems to evaporate when we are in the activities of our lives. Awareness is of course ever present, and yet our attention becomes absorbed in the busyness of the thinking mind, absorbing our energy and vitality, taking us away from the present moment. Often, and especially at times like these, the last thing the mind wishes to do is rest in the present moment; old thinking habits and patterns can be infinitely more seductive, pulling in our attention to offer illusionary protection.

This three-minute breathing space acts as a bridge between the longer, formal meditations. This can be a helpful way to coax the mind back into presence. Its impact is twofold: first and foremost, it can punctuate the day, so you can maintain a compassionate, aware and awake stance, whatever comes your way. In essence, it dissolves negative thought patterns before they gain control over your mind and consequently life, often before you’re even aware of them. Secondly, it’s an ‘emergency’ medicine that allows you to see clearly what is arising moment to moment when you feel under pressure, anxious or experience a more uncomfortable mental and emotional mind state. It allows you to pause when your thoughts threaten to spiral out of control, by helping you to regain a compassionate sense of perspective and to ground yourself in the now.

Step 1: Becoming aware

Find a comfortable seated position for a few minutes, close your eyes. Bring your awareness to your inner experience, acknowledge it, asking: what is my experience right now?

What thoughts are going through the mind? As best you can, acknowledge thoughts as mental events.

What feelings are here? Turn towards any sense of discomfort or unpleasant feelings, acknowledging them without trying to make them different from how you find them

What body sensations are here right now? Perhaps quickly scan the body to pick up any sensations of tightness or bracing, acknowledging the sensations, but, once again, not trying to change them in any way.

Step 2: gathering and focusing attention

Redirect the attention to a narrow ‘spotlight’ on the physical sensations of the breath, move in close to the physical sensations of the breath in the abdomen . . . 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. Use each breath as an opportunity to anchor yourself into the present. And if the mind wanders, gently escort the attention back to the breath.

Step 3: expanding attention

Now, expand the field of awareness around the breathing so that it includes a sense of the body as a whole, your posture and facial expression, as if the whole body was breathing. If you become aware of any sensations of discomfort, tension, feel free to bring your focus of attention right in to the intensity by imagining that the breath could move into and around the sensations.  In this, you are helping to explore the sensations, befriending them, rather than trying to change them in any way. If they stop pulling for your attention, return to sitting, aware of the whole body, moment by moment.

The hourglass shape of the Breathing Space

It is helpful to view your awareness during the Breathing Space as forming the shape of an hourglass. The wide opening at the top of an hourglass is like the first step of the Breathing Space. In this, you open your attention and gently acknowledge whatever is entering and leaving awareness.

The second step of the Breathing Space is like the narrowing of the hourglass’s neck. It’s where you focus your attention on the breath in the lower abdomen. You focus on the physical sensations of breathing, gently coaxing the mind back to the breath when it wanders away. This helps to anchor the mind; grounding you back in the present moment.

The third step of the Breathing Space is like the broadening base of an hourglass. In this, you open your awareness. In this opening, you are opening to life as it is, preparing yourself for the next moments of your day. Here you are, your whole mind–body, just as it is, in its completeness.