Clearing the mind is sort of an oxymoron. We can slow our minds down, but they’re not designed to stop. Here’s a quick meditation to calm the mind and relax the body:
1) Stop what you’re doing. Computer snoozed, pencil down, etc. Shut your door and dim the lights if you can. Take in a nice, easy, warm breath, and gently exhale. 2) Turn your attention to your face. Start with your eyes. Look around and notice what you see. Avoid judging or interpreting your surroundings. After a moment of observation, spend several seconds naming the things in your line of vision… a notebook, a blue wall, two windows, three pencils. Continue to breathe, warm, easy, gentle breaths. If your mind wanders, just gently bring your attention back to your eyes. 3) Turn your attention to your ears. Close your eyes to minimize distraction. Take a slow, warm, gentle breath. Notice all the sounds around you. Name the sounds in your environment… the buzz of a fluorescent light, the fan in the computer, voices in the hallway – a man and a woman. Again, avoid interpreting these sounds, just acknowledge their presence. Breathe. 4) Turn your attention to your nose. Take several breaths through the nose, noticing the scents carried in the air. Name or describe the scents. Continue to breathe, warm, gentle breaths. 5) Turn your attention to your breath. Notice how it moves, where it moves, any sound it makes. Allow your breath to travel deeper and deeper into your body, bringing with it warmth and weight. Take several easy, gentle breaths, focusing your mind on each breath in, and each breath out. 6) Open your eyes. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Approach the next moment with a sense of strength and peace.