published by Ross Patterson  · July 7 at 10:56 AM  · 

We work to create a calm, peaceful, environment for our guests to disconnect from their busy schedules, and reconnect with one another. One of our core aims is to have a positive impact on mental health. An extremely valuable tool to improve mental health is meditation.

“If the benefits of meditation (reduced anxiety/depression, increased sense of wellbeing, improved attention span, increased feelings of love/empathy) were to be put into a pill, the whole world would be scrambling for a prescription.” – Jamie Patterson

But it can be difficult to know where to start. There are so many apps and videos and techniques and philosophies; it can be off-putting.

Anchoring is an extremely simple technique, which can be done anywhere, anytime. So try this:

– Set a timer for 10 minutes (20 minutes will feel even more beneficial but we can work up to that).

– Sit comfortably. Any chair, cushion or even on the bus. Having your back straight is preferable so that you don’t fall asleep, but you can also lie in bed.

– Then close your eyes, and observe the feeling of your breath. That might be in your nostrils, or in your chest, or your stomach/diaphragm. Just focus on where you most clearly feel your breath entering and leaving your body.

– Any time you feel your mind wander to a to-do list or similar, just say “thinking”, and bring your attention back to your breath. This will happen repeatedly. Don’t judge the thoughts, simply observe them, and bring the attention back to your breath.

– Do this for 10/20 minutes or more. It’s even beneficial to do it for just 1 minute (or just one conscious breath).

– Once the timer is up, open your eyes, and get on with your day. It’s simple, but the benefits are profound. Just 10 minutes detached from the hustle and bustle to breathe will hugely benefit your mental health.

Ross