Breath Cues - Easy Times of Stillness Throughout The Day

Knowing that intentional breath is deeply restorative to the body, I enjoy cuing myself to take a deep breath during the normal parts of my day. 

I am always trying new ones. Some fall off, some expand, I just play with it. Here are some ideas, hopefully appealing to many styles of learning and habit. Experiment!

Pick one and when you do or experience any of these things, take a deep mindful breath  - a full inhalation and a full exhalation where the focus of attention is the feeling state of the body- Inhale. Hold or don’t hold, exhale, all the while feeling in your body and how the body relates to the air coming in and then releasing.

Every time you’re taking a deep breath, you’re making a good choice. No matter what else is going on. You can do it WHILE doing something else, just a deep breath and paying attention to your body. Unless you’re in a toxic-air environment, it is always one of the best things you can do.

Looking at your closet, going to the bathroom, waiting for an elevator, waiting for technology (to boot up, something to print, something to load), waiting for transportation, as you first sit in the car, or before exiting, as you put your key in a lock, as you look broadly.

Brushing your teeth, emptying the dishwasher, cooking

Looking in the Mirror A certain kind of flower Dot stickers you’ve placed in home/office Watching fish -or a youtube video of fish ;) your homepage or most-visited website/app

As you lay down to sleep at night Shaking hands with someone At the start/end of a staircase Picking up your phone/adjusting earbuds When you touch doorhandlesTransportation Cues Red lights - or any kind of waiting Seeing pedestrians On the walk from the parking lot Changing the music or adjusting heat Looking in the rearview

When you’re feeling confused When asked a question When you’re wondering, “what’s next” When you finish a task When you check the time

Bell (this is Thich Nhat Hanh’s favorite) Siren (my favorite) A favorite (or not) word or phrase Someone else’s phone alert When someone says your name

Looking people in the eye While listening (actually helps you listen more receptively!) Filling out forms Waiting in line Meeting someone new

Bugs, see one, annoyed by one... whatever Sunrise and/or sunset Particularly beautiful clouds When water touches your body Birdsong (for that matter, traffic...)

Before meals (combine with appreciation!) Between bites As you open beverages Towards the end of meal to assess fullness Before enjoying a favorite snack - Mindful Eating as a practice is staggeringly far-reaching and enormously beneficial (mentally and physically)