The purpose of this app is to help you get started with your practice and to help you incorporate mindfulness in your every-day life. This will come as a bonus-effect if you´ll just take time to practice. You taking time for you is a kind of commitment that you need to make. Choose a time and a place to establish this new habit.

The audios on this app will function as a motivation and an inspiration. They are intended to help you connect with yourself and your body, with your thoughts and emotions.

The audios/meditations on this app have there origin in the evidencebased methods MBSR (Mindfulnessbased stressreduction) and MBCT (Mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy). Jon Kabat-Zinn (the founder of the MBSR-programme) defines mindfulness like this: ”Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally”. Paying attention to the breath and to the body – always in the present moment – anchors us in the here and now. Research points towards mindfulness not only being helpful in reducing stress, but also in cultivating quality of life.

Some of the audios are also helpful in cultivating mindful selfcompassion (MSC); to be able to offer yourself kindness and compassion when times are challenging and tough. This reduces the tendency towards selfcriticism that is quite common for us, modern people, demanding a lot of ourselves.

To be able to cultivate mindful self-compassion, mindfulness is necessary. Mindfulness helps us to pay attention to thoughts/feelings and to what we, in CBT, call ”learning history”.

Then we add the quality of compassion and loving kindness towards ourselves - mindful self-compassion - in the same way that we offer compassion towards someone we really care for. This is something that´s unfamiliar to many of us, bur it just takes practice.

The name of this app – Pausa Medvetet – refers to having mindful breaks/pauses. To me, this is an active approach on incorporating mindfulness in our daily lives; of course as well in our work-life.

It´s all about pausing, eating, exercising, working; LIVING more consciously. When you take a mindful break, having your coffee you can practice ”just” having your coffee. You´ll do one thing at a time and you´ll pay close attention.

In a time where doing, goals and agendas are (too) important we tend to function on autopilot. Add a fast pace and to great a focus on other peoples needs and there´s a risk forgetting to take care of ourselves. We´re also missing out on the important moments going on right now.

You´ll probably experience something quite the opposite once you start practicing mindfulness. Try it out and you´ll find yourself centrestage in this - your - experience. Impressions from your sensory organs will appear so much more vividly; smelling, tasting, seeing, hearing and sensing. You´ll start looking after yourself and your body, enhancing energy and creating life-balance.

The app is also helpful as a reminder when you need it the most.

I hope it´ll help you find joy and beginners mind in your life.