5 minutes mindful practice - Saying hello… I am here…

My dear loving community,

It brings me great joy to share the first 5 minutes mindful practice with you. Here it goes…

Hello… I am here…

We will be do this practice over next 7 days. Every day we will add one little element (which is optional). Why, because our mind is very good at giving us many excuses to not drop in present moment, to name a few:

- Oh! it’s the same practice. Boring. I need something new.

- We go on autopilot. We ‘think’ we are practicing.

- We are practicing but our body and mind are in opposite directions.

- Our ancestral habit energies of running and rushing all the time.

- Tell your mind, its only 5 minutes in the day!

By giving our mind an option of adding a new element to our practice, we will be well equipped to train it and bring it in present moment. From my own practical experience, this little trick works very well to train our mind which is always busy and occupied.

Practice Preparation: Taking a moment, say this to yourself. “From today, I invite myself to drop in the present moment. I give myself permission to prioritize “ME” for 5 minutes each day. I allow my body and mind to be open and receptive.”

Practice Object: Our eyes, looking deeply, presenting yourself.

Practice Description: From tomorrow to next 7 days, we will be saying hello to anything we choose by looking at it deeply and say hello with our full, real presence.

Practice Method: From next morning, as you open two beautiful gifts, your lovely eyes, you can begin to notice anything that gets your attention and simply say hello.

Look deeply at the object of focus for a few seconds and present yourself and just say ‘hello…I am here’.

You can say hello to anything.. hello myself, hello my eyes, hello my beloved, hello my child, hello my pet, hello water, hello cloud, hello blue sky, hello rains, hello my bread, hello my fruit, hello my phone, hello my hands, hello my feet, hello my TV, hello trees, hello flower, hello ant, hello flies, hello sunset, hello night…the list goes on and on.

And that’s it! How simple and beautiful and grateful to notice and observe so many wonderful conditions of happiness around us! If you like you could repeat the practice for next 3 weeks, as it's an old belief that it takes 21 days to integrate a practice in your routine.

Practice Note: As per my count it takes 5 seconds to say a fully present hello to any object. Just stop and then look and say hello. Most importantly please enjoy the practice!

Practice Ways: You can practice it in anyway you like, as comfortable to you. If you are looking for some suggestions here are a few:

- You can do it through the day. Don’t keep any count!

- You can set aside 5 whole minutes anytime as per your schedule. Put a 5 minutes timer!

- You can do it at meal times.

- You can do it while travelling, talking on phone (also improves your communication!)

- Add it to your existing religious or spiritual or ritual practices.

- Do it with you children! A mindful game to play! What a wonderful life skill. To observe, pay attention, notice and be present!

- Do it while working! Gives you few seconds break to come back to yourself.

The ideas are endless. Share your own unique ideas, ways with your friends and family. A wonderful positive topic for a loving conversation. 😊

Practice Add on Elements: I absolutely love this technique to lovingly quiet your mind and make it your ally to be mindful.

Day 1: Preparation day. Read the practice slowly and mindfully. Let it sink in, follow preparation steps above.

Day 2: Go very gentle with yourself, very kind, patient, slow down. Please don’t make it as another project, another task, another item in your to do list, another way to prove something to ourselves or others. Just let the practice flow on its own.

Day 3: If you can anytime, notice your natural breath when you say hello. Don’t make it a goal to notice breath every time. Remember it’s a practice. No right or wrong here. When you can remember, touch your beautiful breath.

Day 4: If it feels right then add a gentle smile when you are looking deeply at the object of focus. Again, no pressure, no forcing anything.

Day 5: If it’s comfortable, try to practice it through the day. Again keep overall time to 5 minutes only. Trying to bring awareness through the day, rather than say just in the morning or travel time.

Day 6: Just observe your practice. See if any or all elements from previous days are flowing naturally in you. If nothing its OK. If you can include everything its also OK too.

Day 7: If you feel ready, practice the breathing mantra:

“Breathing in hello…

Breathing out I am here…

[Adopted from breathing mantras by Thich Nhat Hanh]

Even if you could breathe like this 1 time, 2 times, 3 times, its an insight already! If not, then also celebrate, you just gave a gift of 5 minutes to yourself each day! Hurray! 😊

Practice loving-kindness: Always keep a beginner’s mind. Whether it’s your first day of mindfulness or years of practice. Mindfulness is fresh each moment. It’s a practice, either the first time or the 1000th time. Our mind will rush, it will run, it will race. It’s been mind’s practice for a million years. It will take us a lot of time to reverse its direction. The more loving-kindness, the sooner mind begins to recognise new patterns.

Practice Source: All the mindful practices that we will be doing together are adopted from teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, a global spiritual leader, poet, peace activist and founder of the Plum Village Tradition.

I would like to take this opportunity to pay gratitude for our collective practice over next 7 days. Thank you Mother Earth, Thank you Thay, Thank you to all of our spiritual, religious, mineral and blood ancestors for holding, supporting and practicing with us.

As always filling your way with these wonderful words:

Breathe –

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath’. - Amit Ray

I am so overjoyed with the beginning of our mindful living journey. Please remember to enjoy the practice. Let it come to you rather than you try to run behind it. I really hope you cultivate a few moments of bliss, peace, calmness, stillness and at the same time enjoy the fruit of your practice. I am always here to support you, rooting for you.

Let’s keep our collective energy positive. There is no objective, goal, aim or achievement here. It is a practice for us to show up for ourselves, to honor ourselves, to create peace, joy and happiness for ourselves.

Thank you so much for your time, attention and practice. Namaste. With all my love, light and compassion,

Yours sincere friend from this part of the world.

Sweta Agarwal