If you find yourself stressed and pressed for time between homework assignments, reports, a part-time job and so on, you may benefit from giving your mind this sort of opportunity to calm down.

As part of our “Hokkori Relaxation Time” series, the Support Room is currently offering instruction on breathing techniques. Try the breathing technique anywhere from 5 to 10 times, and if you have some free time after, we suggest you follow it up by trying the mindfulness technique.

(For an overview of the breathing technique, see the Mental Health Tips section of the homepage at https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/ssr/en/kokoro/article.html/?id=36 Have a listen to the audio instructions and follow along.)

The method for the mindfulness technique is as follows.

1. Sit down and extend your spine to straighten your back

2. Either lower your line of sight or close your eyes

3. Focus your attention on your breathing

4. If you begin to lose focus, reconcentrate all your attention onto your breathing

5. Observe, as-they-are, the various thoughts and ideas which pop into your head

*Try this for 10 minutes at first and work up to 40-50 minutes as you get used to it.

We recommend you give this a try when you wake up in the morning and for some reason feel uneasy, when you find yourself making careless mistakes from being overly-busy and rushed during the day, before bed, and so on.

Use this technique as an opportunity to take a look at yourself, as-you-are, to be yourself and to go about your day to day life.

As part of our “Hokkori Relaxation Time” series we are sharing relaxation techniques including the 10 second breathing technique, muscle relaxation techniques, and exercises to loosen facial muscles and so on. 

For details, see the Student Support “Events” page. 

https://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/ssr/en/event/

Give it a try!