| 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. |
Mindfulness Protocols
(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.)
FORMAL MINDFULNESS PRACTICES
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.
INFORMAL MINDFULNESS (DAILY LIFE)
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.
STRUCTURED MINDFULNESS FRAMEWORKS
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".
MINDFUL AWARENESS OF THOUGHTS
Thought Defusion โ rumination, catastrophizing, over-identification with thoughts, low valence
Observe thoughts as mental events, not facts. Techniques:
- "I notice I'm having the thought that..." (prefix)
- Visualize thoughts as leaves on a stream, clouds passing, or train cars going by
- Say the anxious thought in a cartoon voice (breaks identification)
โ Key insight: The goal is not to stop thinking. It's to change your relationship to thinking.
โ Repetitive thought: Count how many times the same thought arises in 5 minutes โ the counting itself creates distance.
๐ง API: Track
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.
COMPASSION-BASED MINDFULNESS
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.
MINDFULNESS IN DIFFICULT MOMENTS
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".
SESSION DESIGN GUIDELINES
| 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.