The three-step anchor space; a mini-mindfulness practice.
The Three-Step Anchor Space is a mindfulness practice taught in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses. It is a brief mindfulness practice that aims to cultivate present-moment awareness and provide a sense of grounding. It consists of three steps and typically takes about three minutes to complete:
Step 1: Awareness of the Present Moment - Begin by intentionally bringing your attention to the present moment. You can do this by closing your eyes or keeping them open, and then simply notice and acknowledge your current thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment.
Step 2: Focusing on the breath or another anchor point of your choosing - Shift your attention to the sensation of your breath or the somewhere else in the body or the sounds around you. As best you can maintain your attention on your anchor while acknowledging it might drift and that’s ok, in that case you just gently guide it back.
Step 3: Expanding Awareness - In this final step, expand your awareness to include your entire body. Notice any bodily sensations, tension, or areas of discomfort, as well as any emotions or thoughts that arise. Try to hold a spacious and accepting awareness of your experience, allowing whatever arises to be present without trying to change it.
The Three-Step Anchor Space serves as a mini-meditation that can be practiced throughout the day to cultivate mindfulness and reconnect with the present moment. It helps individuals develop a greater awareness of their thoughts and emotions and fosters a more balanced and compassionate response to difficult experiences. You can hear Sylvia guide you through a Three-Step Anchor space on Soundcloud here. Please sign up for the newsletter on the homepage of sylviayoga.com to keep updated on classes, courses and events.