Getting started

Mindfulness - Community
NHS GGC

 

This section contains short (10 minutes or less) practices. We developed these at the request of participants beginning the 8 week mindfulness based courses who asked if we could provide something a little shorter to help them get started. Once you have managed to establish a practice with these we encourage you to try the longer practices in the 'Core Practices' section.

When new to mindfulness, it is not unusual to experience a little difficulty during practices, e.g. boredom or mind racing. This is quite normal, and should be considered as a part of the practice. Sometimes it can be interesting to explore these feelings and experiences as they arise during the practice.

We have included this 'meditation kit',  developed by Tara Brach which answers frequently asked questions about learning to meditate and mindfulness. Available in English, Spanish, Japanese and Persian (Farsi).

From time to time we will add new practices and remove old ones to prevent the page getting too cluttered. Any practices removed from this page will be archived here, so if there is a practice you want to keep using, you can do so.

 

Mindfulness of breath (6 minutes)

Mindfulness of breath (10 minutes)

Body scan (10 minutes)

Mindfulness of sounds (10 minutes)

 

Updated 17/07/2024 (review in 6 months)

Walking and movement

Mindful walking (16 minutes)

Body

Body scan (lying or seated) (11 minutes)

Breath

Mindfulness of breath (6 minutes 33 seconds)

 

 

Mindfulness of breath (12 minutes)

 

If you would like to try and gradually build up the time you sit, this practice, Mindfulness of breath, staying present (30 minutes) , gives you an option within it at 10 minutes, and at 20 minutes to choose to continue, or to draw the practice to an end at those choice points:

 

Sound practices

Mindfulness of sounds (10 minutes 41 seconds) 

 

In case it is helpful, we have placed some unguided extended soundscapes if you would like to explore mindfulness of sounds further on the 'Extra Practices' section of this app. Or of course, you can just sit with whatever is naturally occurring and present in the sound environment around you.