Mindful Body Scan

The Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction programme (MBSR) has shown to help people affected by breast cancer with their mood state, including depression and anxiety, fatigue, increase wellbeing and the immune system, decrease stress and reduce menopausal symptoms including hot flushes.

The aim of these practices is to learn how to keep bringing a kind and curious attention back to the present moment, becoming more aware of our moment to moment experience. We do this through our physical sensations, thoughts and emotions. We learn how the mind naturally wanders, how this is not a problem, and how we can just keep bring the mind back to the instructions of the guidance over and over.

These audios come from this MBSR programme and are led by Dr Caroline Hoffman, MBSR teacher. The mindful body scan and the mindful sitting meditation are still practices whereas the mindful lying and standing stretches are both gentle mindful yoga-like practices. You are invited to engage with these movement practices within your own physical boundaries, exploring your limits but not pushing beyond them. You are invited to wear comfortable clothing that allows your body to move and not be restricted. You might like to start to practise one of these each day, starting in order and taking a week or two with each practice before moving onto the next one.

Each practice starts with an introduction, then you can move the main exercise.

Mindful Body Scan Intro

by Breast Cancer Haven | The mindful body scan is generally practised lying down but can be done in any comfortable position. This guided practice helps you to notice physical sensations in the body as they are happening and to connect you with your present moment experience.

by Breast Cancer Haven | The aim of this practice is to learn how to bring our attention to the present moment and to become aware of the sensations in the body. This awareness helps us learn how to stop just living in our heads and brings us back to the grounding and stability of our bodies. This practice is usually done lying down on your back but with support under your head and under your knees to help support your back. You may find that your body cools down, so have a rug or blanket handy to cover yourself with.

Mindful lying stretches Intro

by Breast Cancer Haven | These gentle yoga-like stretches are usually done lying on the floor on a yoga mat or blanket.

Mindful lying stretches

by Breast Cancer Haven | The aim is to practise mindfulness, cultivating a kind and curious moment to moment awareness whilst moving and being still. These exercises are performed slowing so that mindful awareness can be brought to each movement and you are recommended to practise within your own physical limits and not beyond them.

Mindful sitting practice intro

by Breast Cancer Haven | The aim of this practice is to start to cultivate mindfulness by bringing attention and awareness to our breathing, sensations, thoughts and emotions.

Mindful sitting practice

by Breast Cancer Haven | We learn that we have thoughts and emotions but that they, like sensations in the body, come and go. This practice helps to steady and calm the mind and body. It is usually done sitting on an upright chair, or meditation cushion/stool. If this is not possible, it can be done lying down.

Mindful standing stretches

by Breast Cancer Haven | These gentle yoga-like stretches starting in a standing position, then later lying on the floor on a yoga mat or blanket. The aim is to cultivate mindfulness – a kind and curious moment to moment awareness of your experience whilst moving and being still. These exercises are performed slowing so that mindful awareness can be brought to each movement and you are recommended to practise within your own physical limits and not beyond them.