Mindfulness Meditation During the Time of COVID
By Dr. Lesley LeBaron, Counselor, SF Counseling Center
This is such a challenging time for all of us at SF as we work from home. I’d like to share some thoughts about how Mindfulness Meditation might help us find some peace of mind and calmness during this time. May is Mental Health Awareness Month; so, it is a good time to add a tool to increase our happiness and emotional stability.
Mindfulness Meditation helps us focus on being in the “here and now,” rather than focusing on our worries and concerns about the future. As we practice mindfulness, we learn that we can shift our attention from repetitive, worrisome thoughts to an awareness of our breath, our physical sensations, and our surroundings. I invite you to spend a few minutes every day during this last week of May to take a walk, watch the sunset, sit outside, go to a park, and just “be.” When you are taking a walk, breathe in the springtime air. Notice the air coming into your nostrils as you breathe in, let your lungs fill up with fresh air, then exhale through your mouth, breathing out tension and worried thoughts. You might want to do this right now as you are reading!
In my weekly Mindfulness Meditation presentation for students and staff from 3:00 – 3:30 pm, Tuesdays, on Zoom, I lead participants through awareness exercises. We practice conscious breathing, muscle relaxation, and awareness of our thoughts. This helps us let go of thoughts easily, so we don’t get caught up in repetitive worries or upsetting memories. I hope you will join me in the future! Please call Cindy at 352-395-5508 or email her at cindy.salvadori@sfcollege.edu, and she will send an email reminder and invitation.