Breathing Exercises With Mushim To Increase Mindfulness

Breathing exercises with Mushim Patricia Ikeda to increase mindfulness
‪#‎wisdomcafeNOW‬ 

A fun session on mindfulness as a tool for personal and career development that I led at the recent UC Berkeley NOW conference for staff career development.

Feeling stressed? Confused?

Turn palms of both hands upward, raise arms slowly overhead and stretch up up up as you breathe in deeply.

Turn palms of hands outward as though you're pushing against two walls that are on your left and right sides and lower arms slowly as you breathe out, out, out.

Repeat. Notice how you feel. (Important point: With mindfulness, you aren't being told to feel better or worse. If this little exercise makes you feel more relaxed and alert, notice it. If you feel even more stressed after you do it, notice that. If you don't give a hoot and you feel no different, notice that.)

The important thing is: you tried something that might help you feel less anxious and stressed. If it helped, make a mental note for the future. If it didn't help, notice that and then TRY SOMETHING ELSE that supports your sense of well-being.

Because you can do this, even in "little ways." You've got it!

 http://diversity.berkeley.edu/programs-services/staff/events/2016now