{"id":35101,"date":"2020-06-05T07:11:16","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T14:11:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/?p=35101"},"modified":"2026-04-22T11:17:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T18:17:11","slug":"a-mindful-gap-in-stressful-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2020\/06\/05\/a-mindful-gap-in-stressful-times\/","title":{"rendered":"A Mindful Gap In Stressful Times"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In this time of the coronavirus pandemic, I have had more time to be with myself, without so many distractions. And I\u2019ve been noticing more vividly my habitual pattern of negative self-talk and anger when I\u2019m stressed out. Working with \u201cMindful Gap,\u201d a skill I\u2019ve learned in my mindfulness meditation practice, helps me step back from my habitual reactions and stop their flow.<\/p>

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, in his book Emotionele redding: werken met je emoties om gekwetstheid en verwarring om te zetten in energie die je kracht geeft<\/a>, calls this stepping back from our emotional reactivity \u201cMindful Gap.\u201d<\/p>

Rinpoche says (pp. 49-50):<\/p>

When you take time to feel your anger, everything naturally slows down. You turn your attention inward. Right away you notice there\u2019s space to breathe, so you\u2019re not overwhelmed. In this space, you discover a gap between yourself and the anger you\u2019re feeling\u2026.You\u2019re willing to feel whatever comes up, from life\u2019s petty annoyances to the trials of loss, fear, and grief.<\/p><\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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A Mindful Gap Breathing \u2013 An Exercise<\/h2>

Mindful breathing helps us cultivate this Mindful Gap, and helps us stem the flow of habitual reactions to anger or stress. Here is a simple mindful breathing exercise to use the next time a painful emotion like anger comes up:<\/p>

  1. Breathe naturally.<\/li>
  2. Feel the cool air enter your nostrils as you inhale, as your diaphragm and abdomen rise.<\/li>
  3. Then, feel the warm air leaving your nostrils as you exhale, feeling your diaphragm and the rest of your body relax on each exhale. Notice the short gap before the next inhale.<\/li>
  4. Notice what you are feeling in your body \u2013 maybe a tightening in your chest? A clenching in your stomach? As Ponlop Rinpoche says, \u201cWhen you take time to feel your anger, everything slows down.\u201d<\/li>
  5. Continue to breathe as you hold still with what you\u2019re feeling without reacting.<\/li>
  6. Continue to breathe naturally and look directly, noticing how your emotional energy changes, moment to moment.<\/li><\/ol>

    Taking a mindful gap and mindfully breathing in this way helps us gain some perspective and space around our swirling thoughts and emotions. When I take a mindful gap with my breath, I can then more freely choose to act in a more compassionate way. I can notice the hurt or sadness that may be under the anger. And, in the space I\u2019ve created, I can breathe in compassion \u2013 both for myself and for all others who suffer in this way.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Beth\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBeth Patterson\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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    Beth Patterson is a psychotherapist specializing in grief, loss and life transitions. In her work, Beth relies on Buddhist psychology, mindfulness based cognitive therapy and body-centered therapies. Her articles and ebook are available at www.bethspatterson.com. Beth is a longtime Buddhist practitioner and a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    In this time of the coronavirus pandemic, I have had more time to be with myself, without so many distractions. And I\u2019ve been noticing more vividly my habitual pattern of negative self-talk and anger when I\u2019m stressed out. Working with \u201cMindful Gap,\u201d a skill I\u2019ve learned in my mindfulness meditation practice, helps me step back from my habitual reactions and stop their flow.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":35048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3009],"tags":[3408,3414,3406,3410],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Mindful Gap In Stressful Times - Nalandabodhi International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Working with negative thinking becomes easier through the practice of Mindful Gap taught in Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche's book, Emotional Rescue.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2020\/06\/05\/a-mindful-gap-in-stressful-times\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"nl_NL\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Mindful Gap In Stressful Times - 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