The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety and Shyness by Fleming Jan E. Segal Zindel V. Kocovski Nancy L

Author:Fleming, Jan E., Segal, Zindel V., Kocovski, Nancy L. [Flemming, Jan E., and Kocovski, Nancy L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781608820825
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
Published: 2013-05-14T04:00:00+00:00

Paying Mindful Attention to Your Body in Movement

Next, to build on the practice of the body scan, let’s move on to paying mindful attention to your body as it moves through a series of gentle stretches. The second exercise, “Mindful Stretching,” includes some of the common yoga positions described by Kabat-Zinn (1990). It is best to do this exercise with the audio (see the audio downloads at www.newharbinger.com/20801); it might be helpful to first read the following transcript of the exercise to get a sense of what to expect with the audio version, perhaps trying out some of the stretches before following along with the audio.

Exercise 5.2 Mindful Stretching

The intention of this exercise is to bring mindful awareness, as best you can, to physical sensations throughout the body as we proceed through a series of gentle stretches. With each stretch it is important to notice the limits of your body and, as best you can, try to let go of any tendency to push beyond your limits or to compete with yourself. If a particular stretch is too challenging for your body at any time, simply maintain the standing position or repeat an earlier stretch.

So to begin, standing in bare feet or socks on the floor, a mat, or a rug, with the feet about hip-width apart, knees unlocked and feet parallel to each other.

And becoming aware of the flow of the breath, paying complete attention to each full in-breath and each full out-breath, not controlling the breath in any way.

And then taking a few moments to feel the body as a whole, from head to toe, perhaps noticing the sensations in the feet as they make contact with the floor or mat or rug.

Now, on an in-breath, slowly and mindfully raising the arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor, now breathing out, and on the next in-breath, continuing to raise the arms until they meet above the head, feeling any tension in the muscles as they work to lift the arms and maintain them in the stretch. And as you hold the stretch, noticing any sensations, perhaps warmth or tingling, bringing a gentle curiosity to whatever you find. And when the mind wanders, as it surely will, just noting that and redirecting your attention to the body stretching in this position.

And then on an out-breath, very slowly bringing the arms down and letting them hang at the sides of the body. Then repeating that stretch, raising the arms out to the side, then meeting above the head, holding, then returning very slowly to the sides.

And allowing the eyes to close gently and noticing how it feels to have just done that stretch. And after a few breaths, opening the eyes again.

Now stretching just the right arm above the head, and letting the heel of the left foot lift off the floor, as the right arm reaches toward the ceiling. With full awareness of any sensations in the body. And then letting the right arm drop back to

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