1: Mindfulness Practice

If you are new to mindfulness, treat it like a skill andpractice it. Set aside 10 minutes to practice mindfulness meditation each day. You can use an app like Insight Timeror simply set your phone for 10 minutes. Pick a focus point (the sensation of breathing, a guided session on the app, a verse or quality of God) and every time you notice your mind has wandered simply bring it back to your point of attention (without judgement or criticism). Do this practice for five consecutive days and be sure to track / log your activities.

OPTION 2: Mindfulness Application

If you already have some practice with mindfulness, you can also try applying mindfulness to your daily life. Below are some suggestions. Keep track of when you practiced mindfulness, for how long, and how it went. 

 

1. Scripture Meditation

Meditation has been a long-standing tradition in Christianity, with strong biblical support. In some traditions or contexts the focus of meditation is on emptying one’s mind. By contrast, the biblical text teaches us to saturate our minds (Ps. 119). To do this, take a meaningful verse, phrase or truth from scripture. Sit quietly, take slow, deep breaths and focus on your selected verse, phrase or teaching for at least 10 minutes. Go slowly, and take time to pause and reflect on what you notice. Record your observations in the activity log below.

 

2. Conversations

Try practicing mindfulness during at least twoconversations each day. When someone is talking to you, try to think only about what he/she is saying. Don’t think about your next task, or what happened previously that day. Don’t think about what you want to say next. Just focus on listening intently to the person and hearing what he/she has to say. Apply this for at least 10 minutes of conversation each day.

 

3. Classes

Practice a distraction-free class / Zoom session each day. Keep your phone off. Use paper and a pen to take notes. Avoid daydreaming and try to focus on what your professor and fellow-classmates are saying. Participate in class discussions, as you are able. Be totally there the whole class!

 

4. School Work

Practice mindfulness when doing your homework. Find a quiet place where you can be alone and free from distractions. Turn off your phone, close email and all applications you don’t need. Focus only on completing onetask at a time. Minimum time: 15 minutes / day

 

5. Eating

Practice eating with mindfulness. Eat slowly, and savour eat bite. Focus on the taste, texture and aroma of your food. Put your utensil down between each bite and trying counting to ten after finishing chewing and swallowing. Then pick up the utensil for the next bite.

 

6. Your Passion & Gifting

Practice mindfulness with an activity that you love doing. This might be writing, singing, drawing, practicing a sports skill, etc. Minimum time: 15 minutes / day

 

7. Pay attention to your body

Stop five times a day for at least five minutes and pay attention to your body. Where is there tightness? Discomfort? Where are you most sensitive? Tired? Keep notes.

 

STEP 2 |Write a one-page reflection 

After completing five days of mindfulness practice and/or application as outlined above, and recording your activities on the log sheet (see below), write a one-page reflection. This reflection, along with your activity log sheet, is due at the start of class on the date specified in your syllabus. Describe the effects of your mindfulness practice by responding to the following questions:

 

1. Which option did you choose and why?

2. What challenges did you encounter? What benefits resulted?

3. What did you learn about yourself in the process?

 

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