World WellBeing Week June 24 – June 30

Start standing, breathe in, have a nice big stretch and then as you breathe out, let your eyes close.

Focus on the space between your eyebrows, imagining shining a torch there. After a few seconds, let this light burst through to fill your whole head. Notice the sensations in the area of your head and face.

Focus on the soft place at the base of your throat. Imagine an intense light shining on that spot. Then let the light enter to fill your neck, shoulders, arms, hands and fingers. Pay attention to how this part of your body feels.

Focus on the middle of your sternum, imagining a light shining on that point. Let the light flood your whole chest area, around to your back, and tune in to how it feels.

Focus on a spot a few inches above your belly button, shining a bright light there. Then imagine the light breaking through to fill your whole abdomen and invite all the feelings in this area into your awareness.

Focus on a point a few inches below your belly button. Imagine an intense light shining on this spot. Then let it burst through to fill the whole of your lower body – lower abdomen, legs and feet. Be with all the feeling in your lower body.

Finally, focus on your belly button, imagining a bright light shining on it. Then let it spread throughout your whole body, taking some time to sense as much as you can the life inside and how it feels.

Slowly start to move your body again, take a few deep breaths, and when you’re ready, open your eyes.

Sitting, with your eyes closed, start with a small nodding ‘yes’ movement. Gently let it get bigger and bigger. As you do this, keep all your attention on the sensations in your neck. Next start with a small side-to-side ‘no’ movement. Gently let the movement get bigger and bigger, focussing on the feelings, even sounds in your neck. The, starting small, rotate your head as if drawing a snail with your nose, spiralling outwards. Repeat in the other direction, slowly and mindfully.

Before you open your eyes, take a moment to tune into any new sensations in your head, neck, shoulders after this exercise.

Sitting or standing with your eyes closed, focus on the area of your chest and upper back. Bring your fists gently together in front of your chest, elbows out horizontally. Breathe in, letting your fists slide across your expanding chest to the sides. Feel the stretch there if you wish. Breathe out and let your fists come together again.

Do this three times.

Take a moment afterwards to notice how you feel.

Standing or sitting, with your in-breath, imagine you can gather up whatever it is that you don’t want, whatever’s getting in your way, unnecessary or unhelpful to you right now.

Hold your breath and gently tense all the muscles in your whole body, so that you can feel the tension of whatever you’re carrying. Then with a great big out-breath let it all go – the tension in your body and everything else you don’t need, throwing it out.

Do this three times

Then take a gentle breath and welcome sensations in your body just as they are.

Try breathing out slowly and keep breathing out until you have no more breath in your lungs, then breathe out a little more. Let go and allow your in-breath to happen naturally without effort. Keep breathing out long and slow for a few breaths.

Focus on a quality you’d like to increase in yourself – an attitude, a feeling, a state of mind. Maybe a word, or even just a colour.

Imagine breathing in the colour or quality or word, then hold your breath as if to fix it inside, and breathe out to spread it, expand it and intensify it in yourself. Do this three times.

Take a moment to notice any new sensations after this exercise: what can you feel in your body?

Take a deep breath, relax your shoulders, your whole body, and smile 😊