Mindfulness Audios Download: Feeling Cold

Daily Mindfulness Practice: Free Audio Download

by Monica A. Frank, Ph.D.

The following is part of a series of audios to teach how to practice mindfulness. Developing your ability to focus on the present moment can reduce distress and improve well-being.

Feeling Cold

Index for Mindfulness Audios

Additional reading:

Some tips for using these audios:

Start with the Understanding Mindfulness audios to learn about mindfulness.
These short practice exercises are to help train your brain to be more mindful when engaged in daily activities.
The audio format is just for convenience to help learn the material. You can also read the transcript. When you practice, however, you should engage in the behavior mindfully without listening to the audio.
The best way to train your brain to be more mindful is to practice in short sessions throughout the day while engaged in your normal activities.
The descriptions are an artificial way to help you get started. Eventually, the practice of mindfulness is being aware of what is described without using an inner verbal description.
This exercise is to focus fully on the experience of feeling cold and noticing the sensations. Although mindfulness can be relaxing, it is really about learning to be present with your immediate experience even if it is not entirely pleasant.
For this exercise, simply pay attention to feeling the cold of the day or holding an ice cube. Your experience of this exercise will vary depending upon the cold source and intensity.

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Transcript of Audio: Feeling Cold

Let yourself feel the cold. Whether you do this by being outside on a cold day or by holding an ice cube, just let yourself fully experience the cold. What does the cold feel like on your skin? What are the different sensations of the cold? Does the direct cold feel different that the cold through your clothes? How is it different? Can you feel the sensation of the cold on your hair follicles? On your skin? Does it feel numbing to your skin? What do your clothes feel like against your skin in the cold? Let yourself fully experience this cold. As you feel the cold, instead of focusing on any discomfort, let yourself just notice the different sensations. Let yourself be detached from the sensations and be aware of what it feels like without any judgment. As you move away from the cold such as by moving into the direct sun or letting the ice melt, notice the different sensations. Notice how your body feels as the sensation of cold reduces. Do you feel your skin warming and relaxing? Continue to let yourself experience this sensation without demand for it to change. As you do, do the sensations vary in intensity? Let yourself just “be” with this experience.