Overcoming Attention Biases 65
Exercise 2.1: Conscious Observation Find a quiet and com-
fortable place where you can sit upright on a chair (with an unsup-
ported back) or on a cushion on the floor. Adopt a relaxed but alert
posture. Once you are seated, set a timer to alert you when sixty
seconds have passed. For one minute, with your eyes open and
while breathing normally, observe each breath you take. Attuning
yourself to the process of breathing— inhaling and exhaling— is
your only goal. This exercise might sound incredibly straightfor-
ward, but one minute can seem like an eternity, especially if you are
distracted by bodily sensations, aspects of your environment (such
as the ticking of a clock or noise outside of your room or house), or
even your own thoughts or emotions. If this happens, simply bring
your attention back to the exercise and remember the goal: to fully
observe your breathing for one minute. Do this a few times a day,
with the idea that it’s not a personal contest or challenge— it’s sim-
ply an observational experience without judgment or reactivity.
Exercise 2.2: Nonreactive Stance Find a quiet and comfort-
able place where you can sit upright on a chair (with an unsup-
ported back) or on a cushion on the floor. Adopt a relaxed but
alert posture. Once you are seated, set a timer to alert you when
three minutes have passed. For those three minutes, try to practice
mindfully focusing on a simple mental image of your choosing.
For example, you may choose to focus on a blue circle, an orange
square, or a purple rectangle. These are only suggestions; choose
any simple object that comes to mind. For three minutes, try to visu-
alize the object as clearly as possible. Notice its shape, its edges, its
dimensions, the vibrancy of the color, and its overall size. Simply try
to see the image as clearly as possible. If you lose your concentra-
tion or if your mind is flooded with emotions or thoughts, try not to
judge yourself or those emotions or thoughts; simply reengage with
the exercise. Try your best not to react to external stimuli or even