lb-logo1.png
Survival Fitness Plan Blog/General Health and Fitness/Short Mindfulness Meditation Exercises

Short Mindfulness Meditation Exercises

Learn how to do mindful meditation whether you have 1 minute or 30

In this article you will learn how to do mindfulness meditation, but before we get into the specific mindfulness exercises you may have the question:

"What is mindfulness meditation?"

Mindfulness meditation is focusing on the present moment. You notice any emotions, sensations, or thoughts that arise and let them pass though without judgment. 

Traditionally, mindfulness meditation uses the breath to stay present (anapanasati), but there are many variations. In fact, you can make almost any daily activity a method of mindfulness by paying attention to the present moment and being aware of what you are doing instead of being on "automatic".

This article covers a few different ways to practice mindfulness and for various specific results.

Most of them are guided mindfulness meditations from YouTube videos. Guided mindful meditation is the easiest for beginners. Once you listen to a few of them, you will become familiar with the different ways and can try them on your own.

1 Minute Mindfulness Visualization

This super quick one minute mindful meditation exercise uses visualization to help you breathe from your diaphragm as opposed to the shallow breathing most people do. It is a good stress reliever.

  • Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
  • ​ Imagine your abdomen is a white balloon.
  • ​ As you inhale, imagine the balloon filling up with positive energy (love, kindness, creativity, etc.).
  • ​ As you exhale, the air escapes from the balloon and the positive feelings spread throughout your entire being. You do not force the air out; it escapes on its own.

You can adapt this exercise to any length of time you wish.

3 Minute Mindfulness Meditation - Loving Kindness

In this 3 minute mindfulness exercise you will use loving-kindness meditation (metta meditation), which is a Buddhist Zazen meditation focusing on compassion.

Regular practice of loving-kindness meditation will fill you with positive emotions such as compassion, confidence, self-acceptance, empathy, etc.

A simple way to practice loving-kindness mediation is as follows.

  • Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes.
  • ​ Generate in your mind and heart a feeling of love.
  • ​ Repeat the mantra “May I be happy. May I be safe. May I be at peace.”

Do this for 3 minutes or longer if you wish.

You can substitute “I” for “You” to send out love to others.

Loving-Kindness is also a good mindfulness exercise for anxiety reduction.

5 Minute Mindfulness Meditation Breathing Exercise

Breathing mindfulness is a well-known method of meditation and is a good way to ease your body into a state of calm and relaxation. 

Follow along with this 5 minute mindfulness meditation script by the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center.

10 Minute Mindfulness Meditation - Forgetting Time

In this 10 minute mindfulness exercise you will explore the importance of forgetting time. It is a great way to start your day or for any time you have 10 minutes to meditate.

15 Minute Mindfulness Meditation Body Scan

Body scanning is one of my favorite ways to meditate. With it you focus your awareness on each part of your body, relaxing each one.

The following is a general guided body scan meditation, but I prefer Yoga Nidra. Learn more about Yoga Nidra towards the end of this post about Yoga.

20 Minute Mindfulness Meditation for Depression

This Mindfulness Exercise for depression focuses on developing a relationship with the feeling, as opposed to avoiding or fighting it. 

In this way you will develop a deeper healing and eventually find peace and bliss within you. 

30 Minute Mindfulness Meditation for Sleep

This last guided mindfulness meditation will help you fall asleep within 30 minutes by relaxing your mind and body with a sleep story.

Mindfulness on the Go

At the start of this article I mentioned that you can make many daily activities a method of mindfulness. 

I wouldn't say this is mindfulness "on the go" as it requires you to slow everything down. But it is a great way to explore mindfulness meditation in your own way. Some examples are using mindfulness when cooking, cleaning, giving a massage, walking, listening to music, etc.

You can learn more about these meditations and many others in Aventura's The Meditation Workbook.

How to Perform Mindfulness Meditation Conclusion

I hope this article has given you some good ideas on how to start mindfulness meditation. I truly believe everyone should do at meditation regularly as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise, eat well, and meditate.

Once you can do 1 minute, try 2, then 5, then 10. Eventually you will be a mindfulness master!

Happy meditating :).

Did you enjoy this article about how to practice mindfulness meditation? If so, please share it with your friends.

Article by Sam Fury

Sam Fury 3 png
Sam Fury 3 png

Sam Fury is the creator and owner of the Survival Fitness Plan.

He has had a passion for martial arts and outdoor pursuits since he was a young boy growing up in Australia.

As a young adult he joined the military and studied outdoor leadership in college. After that, to further his skills, Sam started traveling to learn from the best in the world in various fields related to the Survival Fitness Plan including various martial arts in China, SE Asia and Brazil, Parkour in Singapore, Surf Life Saving in Australia, and others. 

These days, he still enjoys learning new things, traveling and sharing what he has learned via the Survival Fitness Plan. 

Other Posts You May Enjoy ...

How to Train for Endurance in the Survival Fitness Plan

My Favorite Beach Swimming Gear

How to Evade Someone on Foot

What's on your Self-Defense keychain?

How to Turbocharge Your Recovery with Advanced Therapies

Are MMA Skills Enough to Protect You on the Streets?

The information on this website is made public for reference only. Only you are responsible for how you choose to use the information or the result of your actions. Consult a physician before undertaking any new form of physical activity.

© Survival Fitness Plan