Morning Pause

Before getting pulled into to-do lists, meetings, or anything else that might be causing you stress today, take a moment to ground yourself with this quick breathing exercise.

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Good morning, and welcome to this short breathing exercise. It's the start of your day, and before you get pulled into meetings, your to-do list, and a multitude of requests from coworkers or family, let's just take a few minutes to pause together to come into the present moment and to ground ourselves. I know it can be hard finding time in an already packed schedule, but my hope is that exercises like this one will actually become part of your day, instead of something extra you have to fit in. I would even recommend blocking this time in your calendar to help you start your workday with a feeling of calm and clarity. So take a moment to get comfortable wherever you're sitting. Nice, upright back with relaxed shoulders. Make sure both feet are flat on the floor, and you can just place your hands in your lap, eyes open with a nice soft, downward gaze. And just noticing the sensation of your body pressing down in the seat. Feeling your feet on the floor and your hands in your lap. Notice if your shoulders are tense. Can you, perhaps, bring them down away from your ears? We're just using this moment to come out of the mind and into the body, fully present in this space. And you can close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so. We're going to take 10 breaths together. So first one, start by taking a big, deep breath, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. And second, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. And three, in through your nose and out through your mouth. And four. And five. And six, in three your nose and out through your mouth. And seven. And eight. And nine. And one more deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. And you can allow your breathing just to return to normal, in and out through the nose. Open your eyes if you had them closed and just pausing in this moment, knowing this time was for you, fully present and connected ahead of starting your day. And as you head into your day, just setting that intention to take this feeling with you....

Details

TypeMeditation

Duration5 min

About your teachers

A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.
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Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.
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As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.
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Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.
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Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.
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