Press Play to hear from your guide.
3 Minute Coping Breathing Space
Read about the exercise and press Play when you’re ready.
Before You Begin
Find a chair and a quiet place to sit.
If you are willing, bring to mind a stressful or difficult situation.
It needn’t be a very big problem, perhaps something that grabs your attention from time to time.
This exercise will take about 5 minutes.
Audio Player
00:00
00:00
Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.
Reflection
Because much of the work in learning how to be mindful involves paying attention, it is often helpful to become curious about the practices we do together.
- Were you able to bring a difficult situation to mind and name the emotion that was present?
- This response will be reviewed and graded after submission.
- What did you notice in the first step, Awareness?
- This response will be reviewed and graded after submission.
- What did you notice in the second step, Gathering?
- This response will be reviewed and graded after submission.
- What did you notice in the third step, Expanding?
- This response will be reviewed and graded after submission.
- Was there a difference you noticed between this version and the regular 3-Minute Breathing Space?
- This response will be reviewed and graded after submission.
- How might this practice help you cope with challenging situations?
- This response will be reviewed and graded after submission.
3-Minute Coping Breathing Space in an MBCT Group
Let’s join the group as they are in the middle of inquiring into the experience of this practice. As you watch each clip, take a moment to reflect on what you hear. How did watching the experience of other group members help you learn about your own experience with the 3-Minute Coping Breathing Space?
Click on the questions to hear from each group member.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 3-Minute Coping Breathing Space
What is the difference between the two versions of the breathing spaces?
The 3-step structure is pretty much the same, but in the Coping version of the Breathing Space you are encouraged to use this practice when you encounter a problem in daily life, to draw on it right then and there. Also, in the first step, when you acknowledge a difficulty, you are asked to see whether you can label an emotion that is present. The second step is identical in both versions. The third step invites you to attend directly to strong bodily sensations and suggests some phrases for allowing the experience to unfold from one moment to the next.
How can I remember the instructions if I am not listening to a recording?
Is it important for me to still do the regular sitting 3-Minute Breathing Space?