When was the last time you truly felt present?
Most of us spend our days rushing, reacting, and juggling distractions that leave very little room for calm. And when stress builds, it’s natural to wonder ‘how can I feel calmer quickly?’, how do I reset my mind when I’m overwhelmed? And what’s the fastest way to return to the present moment?
Across her six decades of performance work, Marina Abramović has developed simple practices that can bring you back to yourself in minutes. They fit into everyday life, asking only for attention, breath, and a moment of pause.
These five exercises, taken from her method, and her course, are quick and practical ways to restore presence throughout your day.
1. What’s a simple practice I can do to feel calm?
Exercise 1: Sit in stillness for 5 minutes
Marina begins her method with one core instruction: sit down, switch everything off, and breathe.
“There is so much movement, everywhere. Learn to inhabit stillness.”
Stillness isn’t about emptying your mind. It’s about finally noticing what is already happening – your heartbeat, your breath, the circulation of your blood.
How to try it:
- Sit in the quietest place you can find
- Turn off your phone
- Breathe slowly and naturally
- Notice your body and your surroundings
Even a few minutes helps you reconnect to the one thing Marina says truly exists:
“The only thing we can relate to is now.”
2. What’s an easy sensory practice I can do at home?
Exercise 2: Drink a glass of water consciously
This tiny shift can have a profound effect on your nervous system.
“Drink this water consciously.”
Marina teaches you to feel the temperature of the glass, the way the water touches your lips, how it sits in your mouth for a moment before you swallow.
It’s not about the water – it’s about the act of paying attention.
Stop thinking about time, and simply surrender to what you have in front of you.
Marina Abramović
This is a 20-second calm reset you can use anywhere.
3. How do I slow down when my mind is rushing?
Exercise 3: Take a one-minute slow walk
When life speeds up, your movements do too. “You have completely to be connected all the time,” says Marina in her BBC Maestro course. When we slow down, our mind and body slows down too.
Slow walking returns your attention to your body – your legs, your feet, your pace.
How to try it:
- Take 6–10 steps as slowly as possible
- Feel every phase: lift, stretch, touch
- Breathe deeply as you move
Even a brief slow walk helps you arrive in the here and now.
4. How can I reconnect with my body during a stressful day?
Exercise 4: Release static energy with a quick scalp massage
Marina teaches that emotional and energetic “static” accumulates in the head. A short scalp massage helps release it.
“The hair is living material,” says Marina. “By brushing the hair, by moving your fingers through the scalp, massaging it… you’re releasing electricity.”
It’s simple, grounding, and resets your mind fast.
“Your brain needs oxygen. And this is one of the ways how you can get oxygen… and make your thinking more focused and clear.”
A 30–60 second massage is often enough to soften tension and bring focus back.
5. Can conscious breathing really help me feel grounded?
Exercise 5: Reset your mind with 10 slow breaths
Breathing is central to Marina’s presence training.
“If you slow your breathing, you can slow your thinking.”
Her exercise is simple:
- Hands on your stomach
- Ten slow breaths in
- Ten slow breaths out
Afterwards:
“Feel the energy vibrating in your body. Your body is energised.”
This is one of the fastest pathways back to clarity.
Finding calm doesn’t always require big changes. Often, it’s these small, deliberate moments of attention – a breath, a sip of water, a slow step — that create the deepest shift. Marina’s method reminds us that presence isn’t something we wait for; it’s something we practise, gently and consistently, throughout the day.
If these exercises resonated with you, they’re just a glimpse of what Marina Abramović explores in her BBC Maestro course The Art of Being Present. Through guided practices, personal reflections and decades of performance wisdom, she teaches you how to build a more grounded, attentive, and connected way of moving through the world.
Discover the full course and learn how presence can become one of your most powerful tools.
FAQ – Quick answers for calmer living
What’s one practice I can do in one minute to feel calmer?
A slow walk. Even a very brief slow walk brings you into your body and into the present moment.
How can I stop overthinking in the moment?
Slow your breathing. Marina teaches that breath directly slows thought. “If you slow your breathing, you can slow your thinking.”
How do I reconnect with my senses during a stressful day?
Try conscious drinking or a scalp massage – both bring you back into your body fast.
What’s the simplest way to practise presence?
Sit in stillness for a few minutes. No phone. No noise. Just breath and attention.
Can tiny rituals really make a difference?
Yes. Marina says: “There is so much beauty in everyday activity.”
Presence isn’t built from grand gestures – it’s built from repetition, attention, and everyday choices.