"Anchor techniques" during the day

[westie]

Hi! I am wondering what kind of techniques you people out there use to anchor yourself in the present when you are out walking for example. I'm aware that you might have a lot of ways to do it but it would be nice to hear some of your favourites.

Me as a beginner to mindfulness like to keep things abit simple, so if I feel like my mind have wandered where I don't want it to be I focus on the air passing thru my nostrils a few breaths then I keep this awareness in the background while I focus on for example sounds or smells.

I don't feel comfortable (yet) with jumping around to much with where In the body I focus on the breath. Partly because I have a hard time feeling the breath in the chest / abdominal when I'm walking etc. It's okej when I'm practicing meditation tho.

it would be nice to hear if you have any favourites, maybe you breath in and out of your feets while you are walking, working etc etc? I hope I've made myself understood here cheers.

[JonW]

Great question, westie.
I started mindfulness in 2012 and it's simply a part of my life now. It's ingrained.
I don't use anchors as such.
What tends to happen is, say, I'm out walking my dog (Banjo The Spaniel) and I'll notice my mind chattering away (thoughts about work etc). At the moment I notice that chattering I turn my attention to the waves (I live right by the beach), the colour of the leaves in the trees, my breathing, the feeling of my feet on the gravel etc. Not all at once, just what I become aware of. In a way, you could say that the world outside of my head becomes my anchor.
I wouldn't worry about where in the body you feel the breath. It's about whatever works for you. And it sounds like it's working for you just brilliantly.
All best,
Jon, Hove

[westie]

Thank you for a great reply I appreciate it a lot. It makes a lot of sense, I guess I'm sometimes also involving the breath abit to much. I mean, I feel like it usually needs to be a part of what I'm experiencing, it's quite hard to explain. I'll practice just noticing stuff without it aswell.

Part of why I ask this is because I've experienced OCD in the past with the breath but I've overcome the anxiety and fear of it and I'm back meditating again after I've been away from it for a year, but I've for sure not forgotten it. So I'm looking for a good way to start and not stress about my approach, what's right and wrong etc but at the same time I'm looking to take small steps at a time.

I hope I make sense here again, I'm abit tired and writing from my phone cheers

[piedwagtail91]

I'm the same as Jon. Well except for the waves! (That should change for a few days in July though when I get to the sea side )
sometimes it's my body or breath but wherever my awareness settles will do when I'm out walking.

[Gareth]

I'm similar to Mick and Jon, in that these days, I just notice lots when I am not being mindful, and I usually escort my attention back to something that is going on in the present moment. This is quite often the tunes that I have got playing. Don't be disheartened when this happens often. I have been meditating for the best part of five years, and I still catch myself thinking hundreds of times in any given day.

These anchors or reminders definitely work well for some people though; it's good to experiment I would say. Choose something that happens regularly everyday as a cue to come back to the present moment. Red lights, teeth brushing, opening doors are examples I've seen used in the past.

[westie]

Thank you for all your answers, it's much appreciated and it all makes perfect sense. I tend to be a bit less secure about mindfulness stuff when I am feeling anxious, it change from day to day but I am a lot more aware of this matter now which feels great.

Here's a link from a page of the mindful way through depression which describes a lot more accurate what I meant : https://books.google.se/books?id=e_JjRivZNO4C&pg=PA133&lpg=PA133&dq=focus+awareness+with+breath+in+background&source=bl&ots=wrueW9iUsF&sig=HP4QMpgXgMvg8tkETqKAOMfB6eM&hl=sv&sa=X&ei=L38AVYnYB-P8ywOXu4L4Aw&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=focus%20awareness%20with%20breath%20in%20background&f=false

Anyway, I was going to ask you guys\girls if you ever describe what you see, feel, hear in words? For example if I am out walking I objectively describe the things I see, for example "I see a red car approaching me, the sky is blue". I tried this today and it was really useful for switching focus, I really liked this approach. Somehow it felt easier then just being aware without thinking in words.

It would be really nice if someone have some ideas about this, or some article etc to share that handles this particular technique. It's something I would like to practice more.

Cheers and thanks again for you kindness.

[JonW]

"It would be really nice if someone have some ideas about this, or some article etc. to share that handles this particular technique."

I think you should write a blog about it, westie, for our main site.
Please feel free to email me if you need any guidance with it.
Daft as it sounds, I often describe what I'm seeing to my spaniel. "Banjo, just look at the blueness of that sky." Being a mindful sort of dog, he usually shows some interest in what I'm saying. Passers-by show a different kind of interest, profound concern quite possibly.
Jon, Hove

[monkey]

Hi there westie. I'm also fairly new to mindfulness. If I'm out and about I tend to pay attention to my feet, feeling the ground and where they make contact with it, and also the sounds I can hear. I find anything more structured starts to make me feel a bit stressed about 'getting it right' but those two things seem to be quite natural areas of focus for me.