I was preparing for a difficult meeting the other day and I kept noticing how my mind would very quickly turn to thoughts of anger and defensiveness.  I was well prepared, fairly equanimous (I thought) and confident that I had something of value to contribute to the conversation.  But somehow, my nervous system kept reacting as if I needed to "do" something to protect myself.   My body was tensing up, my heart rate quickened and I felt the world getting smaller.  I was out for a walk on this beautiful, warm and sunny day but as soon as this attitude came into my mind the feelings of expansiveness that come when I am nature vanished.

There are many ways to build mindfulness into your daily life and routine and I'll be using this blog to share some simple and easy to use practices.

Being clear headed requires being free from the distractions and intensity of anger, anxiety, frustration and cravings (for food, for alcohol, for intimacy, for things to be different...)  Be "sober" from the intoxicating effects of strong emotions by using the following practice.

S.O.B.E.R. breathing is a technique developed in the MBRP (Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention) program.