Menu
Mindfulness protocols โ present-moment awareness, informal mindfulness, mindful eating, mindful listening, RAIN, STOP, noting practice, and EEG-tracked mindfulness with real-time neural feedback.
Install with Codex or Claude Copy this prompt, paste it into Codex, Claude, or another assistant, and let it review the skill page and install it for you.
Based on SOC occupation classification
Skill index and overview โ lists all available NeuroSkill skills, tools, and explains how skill loading works.
NeuroSkill activity tracking โ file interactions, terminal commands, focus sessions, meetings, clipboard, productivity scoring, weekly digest, brain awareness, and multi-monitor awareness. Tracks files, terminal commands (50+ categories), dev loops, zone switches, EEG-correlated struggle prediction, and task type detection. Use when asking about coding activity, file history, productivity, meetings, terminal usage, dev workflow, or brain state.
NeuroSkill Do Not Disturb automation โ EEG-driven focus detection that activates OS-level DND and optional grayscale display when sustained attention exceeds a threshold. Shows rolling average, sample window, and OS state. Supports force-override on/off. Use when managing focus-based DND automation, grayscale mode, or checking DND status.
Meditation protocols โ guided, unguided, mantra, visualization, loving-kindness, body scan, open awareness, and EEG-biofeedback meditation with real-time neural tracking.
NeuroSkill `label`, `search-labels`, and `interactive` commands โ creating EEG text annotations, semantic vector search over labels, and cross-modal 5-layer graph search combining text, EEG similarity, and screenshot discovery with 3D visualization. Use when annotating EEG moments or searching for past states by description.
NeuroSkill built-in LLM inference server โ on-device OpenAI-compatible chat with llama.cpp, model catalog management (add/download/select/delete GGUF models), vision support (mmproj), streaming WebSocket and HTTP chat, automatic tool calling (bash, read, write, edit, web_search, web_fetch), GenParams tuning, and persistent chat history. Use when managing local LLM models, chatting, or integrating with the OpenAI-compatible API.
| name | neuroskill-protocols-mindfulness |
| description | Mindfulness protocols โ present-moment awareness, informal mindfulness, mindful eating, mindful listening, RAIN, STOP, noting practice, and EEG-tracked mindfulness with real-time neural feedback. |
(This is a domain sub-skill of the neuroskill-protocols repertoire. For the personalisation engine, API integration guide, modality router, and matching guidance, see the parent neuroskill-protocols skill. For evidence collection rules, see neuroskill-evidence.)
Noting Practice โ high mental chatter, rumination, low focus, inability to disengage from thoughts
Label each experience as it arises: "thinking", "hearing", "feeling", "planning", "remembering". The label creates distance from the content.
โ Beginner: Use broad categories only (thinking / feeling / sensing).
โ Advanced: Add granularity โ "judging", "anticipating", "resisting", "wanting".
โ Child: "Name what your brain is doing like a nature narrator โ 'now it's worrying, now it's daydreaming!'"
โ Non-verbal variant: Instead of labeling, gently nod internally at each experience โ acknowledge without words.
๐ง API: Before: status โ snapshot focus, bar, lzc, label "protocol start: noting" --context "focus=X, bar=X, lzc=X". During: poll status every 60s โ focus should stabilise, lzc should rise as meta-awareness develops. After: label with deltas. Longitudinal: compare noting sessions vs breath-counting โ noting often outperforms for rumination-prone users.
Mindful Breathing (Awareness, Not Control) โ stress, autopilot mode, need to ground, moderate bar
Observe the breath exactly as it is โ do not regulate, count, or shape it. Notice temperature at nostrils, rise and fall of chest/belly, pauses between breaths.
โ Key distinction from breathwork: Zero effort to change the breath. If it's shallow, let it be shallow.
โ Anchor point options: Nostrils (sharpest sensation), belly (easiest for beginners), whole-body breathing (advanced).
โ Breath-averse: Observe heartbeat or ambient sounds instead โ same principle of non-reactive observation.
๐ง API: Track relaxation, rel_alpha, bar. Unlike breathwork protocols, expect gradual rather than rapid shifts โ the mechanism is attentional, not physiological. label with anchor point used.
Sitting Mindfulness (Full Spectrum) โ daily practice, building equanimity, moderate-to-advanced practitioners
Structured sitting in layers: breath (5 min) โ body sensations (5 min) โ sounds (5 min) โ thoughts and emotions (5 min) โ choiceless awareness (5 min).
โ Shorter version: Pick 2โ3 layers, 3 min each.
โ Difficulty with thoughts layer: Treat thoughts as sounds โ they arise, have a texture, and fade.
๐ง API: dnd_set enabled:true. say layer transition cues. Track metric shifts across layers โ focus typically peaks in breath layer, lzc peaks in choiceless layer. label each transition for granular session analysis.
Mindful Eating โ rushed meals, stress eating, cravings, disconnection from hunger/satiety
One meal or snack with full attention: observe colour, texture, smell before tasting. Chew slowly (20+ chews). Notice flavour changes, swallowing impulse, satiety signals.
โ Minimum viable: First three bites of any meal, fully attended.
โ Social meals: Alternate โ one mindful bite, then conversation, repeat.
โ Child: "Be a food detective โ what's the secret flavour hiding in this bite?"
๐ง API: label "mindful eating start" and label "mindful eating end" to bracket. Compare bar and relaxation during mindful vs rushed meals over time.
Mindful Listening โ interpersonal stress, poor attention in conversations, high bar during meetings
Listen to another person (or ambient sounds) without planning a response, judging, or drifting. Just receive.
โ Conversation: Let 1 full second of silence pass after they finish before responding.
โ Sound-based solo: Sit and identify all distinct sounds in your environment, one at a time.
โ Music variant: Listen to one song as if hearing it for the first time โ track individual instruments.
๐ง API: Track focus, bar. label with context (conversation/ambient/music).
Mindful Walking โ autopilot commuting, restlessness, afternoon energy dip
Walk at normal pace but place attention on: feet contacting ground, leg muscles, air on skin, peripheral vision.
โ Distinction from walking meditation: Normal speed, normal context (commute, hallway). Not a separate practice โ a way of being while walking.
โ Micro-version: Be fully present for just 10 steps. Then allow autopilot. Repeat throughout the day.
๐ง API: label "mindful walking" --context "location, duration". Compare focus snapshots during vs after.
Mindful Transitions โ context-switching fatigue, high bar between tasks, scattered attention
At every natural transition (finishing an email, leaving a room, starting a meal), pause for 3 breaths and arrive in the new moment.
โ Digital: Before opening a new app or tab, pause and ask "what am I looking for?"
โ Doorway practice: Every time you walk through a doorway, feel your feet for one step.
๐ง API: Set up a hook โ when bar spikes after sustained focus drops (context switch detected), say "Pause โ take three breaths before the next thing". label transitions for pattern analysis.
STOP Practice โ acute reactivity, emotional hijack, impulse to act, sudden bar spike
Stop what you're doing. Take one breath. Observe (body, thoughts, emotions). Proceed with awareness.
Total time: 15โ30 seconds.
โ Before emails: STOP before hitting send on any emotionally charged message.
โ Conflict: STOP before responding to provocation.
โ Child: "Freeze like a statue, take a dragon breath, look around, then go."
๐ง API: Ideal for hooks: hooks_suggest โ trigger STOP when bar spikes above threshold within 10s. say "STOP. One breath. What do you notice?". label "STOP practice" --context "trigger, bar level".
RAIN (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) โ difficult emotions, resistance, self-judgment, emotional avoidance
Recognize what's happening ("I notice anxiety"). Allow it to be there without fixing. Investigate with curiosity โ where in the body? what does it need? Nurture with self-compassion โ hand on heart, kind inner voice.
โ Stuck at Allow: Say "This too belongs" or "It's OK to feel this."
โ Stuck at Investigate: Ask "If this feeling had a shape/colour/temperature, what would it be?"
โ Stuck at Nurture: Ask "What would I say to a friend feeling this?"
๐ง API: Track valence, bar, faa, relaxation. say each RAIN step as a prompt with pauses. After: label "RAIN" --context "emotion, valence delta, bar delta". Longitudinal: search-labels "RAIN" to see which emotions recur and whether response patterns improve.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding โ dissociation, derealization, panic, overwhelm, very high bar
Name: 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you touch, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. Forces sensory present-moment contact.
โ Simplified: Just "name 3 things you see and 2 you hear" if full sequence is too much.
โ Eyes-closed variant: 5 body sensations, 4 sounds, 3 textures within reach, 2 temperatures, 1 taste.
โ Child: Make it a game โ "Quick! Spot 5 blue things!"
๐ง API: say each prompt with pauses. Track bar โ should drop rapidly across the sequence. label "grounding 5-4-3-2-1" --context "bar start=X, bar end=X".
Three-Minute Breathing Space (MBCT) โ mid-day reset, between meetings, cognitive overwhelm
Minute 1: Awareness โ "What is my experience right now?" (thoughts, feelings, sensations).
Minute 2: Gathering โ narrow attention to breath at belly.
Minute 3: Expanding โ widen attention to whole body and posture.
โ Origin: Core practice from Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
โ Calendar integration: Schedule 2โ3 per day as recurring calendar events.
๐ง API: dnd_set enabled:true. say each minute transition. timer 3m. Track focus and bar across the three phases. label "3-min breathing space". After: notify "Breathing space complete".
Thought Defusion โ rumination, catastrophizing, over-identification with thoughts, low valence
Observe thoughts as mental events, not facts. Techniques:
bar, valence, rel_beta (high beta often correlates with ruminative loops). label "thought defusion" --context "theme, repetition count, valence shift".Awareness of Impermanence โ attachment, clinging to states, frustration that "it's not working"
During any practice, notice that every sensation, thought, and emotion changes on its own. Nothing you observe stays constant for more than a few seconds.
โ Practice: Watch a single body sensation closely โ notice it pulse, shift, fade, return.
โ Meta-application: When meditation "isn't working", notice that even that judgment is impermanent.
๐ง API: Real-time EEG makes impermanence visible โ status snapshots 60s apart always differ. say "Notice: your brain state just shifted. Nothing stays." Use metric variance itself as a teaching tool.
Self-Compassion Break (Kristin Neff) โ self-criticism, shame, perfectionism, failure response
Three phrases: "This is a moment of suffering" (mindfulness). "Suffering is part of life" (common humanity). "May I be kind to myself" (self-kindness).
โ Physical anchor: Both hands on heart, or one hand on heart and one on belly.
โ Personalize: Replace third phrase with what you most need to hear right now.
๐ง API: Track valence, bar, faa. say each phrase with 10s pauses. label "self-compassion break" --context "trigger, valence delta".
Equanimity Practice โ reactivity to pleasant/unpleasant, emotional volatility, high valence variance
Notice pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral experiences arising. For each: "This too is impermanent. I don't need to chase or push away."
โ Body-based: Scan for pleasant sensations (warmth, comfort) and unpleasant ones (tension, itch) โ hold both with equal attention.
๐ง API: Track valence stability over session. Equanimity practice should narrow valence variance. compare sessions to verify.
Urge Surfing โ cravings, addictive impulses, compulsive checking, digital addiction triggers
When an urge arises, don't act on it or fight it. Observe it as a wave: it builds, peaks, and naturally subsides (usually within 15โ20 minutes).
โ Track the intensity: Rate 1โ10 every 2 minutes. Watch the number fall.
โ Body location: Where is the urge felt physically? Chest tightness? Restless hands?
โ Digital: When reaching for phone, pause and surf the urge for 60 seconds before deciding.
๐ง API: timer for 15 min. Poll status every 2 min โ track bar and focus. label "urge surfing" --context "urge type, peak intensity, duration until subsided". Longitudinal: search-labels "urge surfing" to identify patterns.
Mindful RAIN for Pain โ chronic pain, acute discomfort, pain-related anxiety
Apply RAIN specifically to physical pain: Recognize the pain. Allow it without bracing. Investigate โ where exactly? what quality (sharp/dull/throbbing/burning)? does it have edges? Nurture โ breathe warmth toward the area, soften surrounding muscles.
โ Key: Separate the sensation from the narrative ("this will never end", "something is wrong").
โ Discovery: Pain often has texture and movement when closely observed โ it's rarely the solid block it seems.
๐ง API: Track bar, stress_index. Pain-related anxiety (bar) often drops faster than the pain itself. label "mindful pain" --context "location, quality, bar delta".
| Context | Protocol | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Acute reactivity | STOP or 5-4-3-2-1 | 15โ60 sec |
| Mid-day reset | Three-Minute Breathing Space | 3 min |
| Daily informal | Any informal practice (eating, walking, transitions) | Varies |
| Daily formal | Mindful breathing โ noting or sitting mindfulness | 10โ20 min |
| Emotional difficulty | RAIN or Self-Compassion Break | 5โ15 min |
| Craving/impulse | Urge Surfing | 10โ20 min |
| Deepening practice | Sitting mindfulness (full spectrum) | 20โ45 min |
Integration rule: Formal practice builds the skill. Informal practice is where the skill lives. Prioritize weaving mindfulness into daily activities over adding more cushion time.
Attitude foundations: All practices rest on: non-judging, patience, beginner's mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, letting go. When practice feels forced, return to these.