Observing our thoughts

Sitting, resting noticing our breath and observing our thoughts float on by.  Recognising how we can do this and not get entangled up in the stories.

Transcript

This is a mindfulness meditation  to observe our thoughts in our minds  and to allow our thoughts to settle. 

So getting yourself into a comfortable position  either in a chair  or laid on a mat or on a bed,  whatever is more comfortable for you,  but making sure that you remain alert and to fall awake and not to fall asleep. 

Bringing your awareness to your feet, flat on the ground or supported by the bed or the floor. 

And becoming aware of your body,  supported by the floor or the chair. 

Inviting your spine to lengthen  with dignity and respect for yourself and the practice.  Lengthening your neck,  tucking your chin in slightly.  And you can either close your eyes gently,  or keep them open with a soft gaze and look in front of you if you're sat on a chair.  You can lay your hands comfortably on your lap,  or they can connect together,  or lay simply on your thighs. 

Whatever is most comfortable. 

I'm setting our intention.  Our intention is to practice mindfulness  and to allow our body to relax.  Delving into our motivation of why we are here,  just simply put into words what brings you here to this practice right now  and what you want to get out of it. 

I'm becoming aware of our breathing  and notice where you feel the breath the most in your body.  Is it in the nose as you're breathing in? It catches the coolness at the back of your throat?  And as you're breathing out,  the warmth tickles the top of your lip.  Or do you notice the breath most in your chest,  as it rises and falls? 

Or in the belly,  as it expands and contracts?  Or do you notice your whole body breathing? 

We're going to gently lengthen our breath  to a count of 3 or 4 on the in breath,  and 3 or 4 on the out breath.  As we breathe in, we count to 4.  And as we breathe out, we count to 4. 

And if you find that counting restricts the mind,  We can use phrases such as, when you're breathing in you can say, I know I'm breathing in.  When you're breathing out, I know I'm breathing out. 

You use whichever one you feel most comfortable with. 

And you may find that thoughts will arise, and that's okay, it's normal.  That's what thoughts do.  Just gently and kindly bring yourself back to your breathing and your counting or phrases. 

And noticing our thoughts  when they arise,  they're involuntary,  we have no control over them.  Just try not to attach yourself to the stories,  gently bring yourself back  to your breathing and your counting. 

And again,  as we notice our thoughts arise,  try not to judge yourself  on the thoughts that are arising  or the fact that they are still there.  All our thoughts are temporary,  we just acknowledge them that they're there.  And let them just float on by. 

And becoming aware of our out breath.  And noticing as we breathe out,  our body relaxes. 

You may feel your shoulders relax from the out breath. 

Maybe the mind can learn from the body.  So as the body breathes out and relaxes.  Then the mind can also release all involvement with thinking and begin to settle. 

I'll allow the breathing to come back to its normal rhythm now. 

Bring your awareness  to the weight of your body on the support, 

and the pressure on the weight of the feet on the ground or  on the support. 

And feeling the pressure against the back  of where you're sat or laid. 

Noticing your hands. 

Noticing the temperature. Are they warm? Are they cool?  Can you feel any tingling?  Any skin sensations? Are  you noticing any sensations in the fingers from the inside out? And 

becoming aware of any sensations in the body  that are attracting your attention right now.  Any aches or pains?  Any niggles?  Any twinges?  Just allow yourself to focus on these. 

And we can do a body scan,  sweeping through the body to notice these sensations.  Starting at the feet,  noticing any aches and pains in the feet, the ankles,  tightness in the calves,  twinges in the knees, 

pressure of the thighs, 

tightness of the lower back,  belly,  chest,  noticing how the spine feels, the muscles attached to it, any tension in the area, 

the shoulders,  any tightness in the shoulders, the muscles, 

the neck,  the scalp. 

In the face,  noticing the brows,  are they relaxed or scrunched together?  Relaxing the jaw 

and sweeping back down  through your body.  Just become aware of any sensations that are attracting your attention.  And just allow yourself to focus on these. For a moment or two 

and bringing your awareness back down to the feet again 

as we appreciate the ground supporting the body unconditionally  and the body is supporting the mind unconditionally. 

Mind resting in the body  and the body resting on the ground 

and becoming aware of the space all around us. 

And just allowing the body and the mind  to simply rest now  and be in the moment. 

Simply sitting here,  just being. 

Nothing to do,  nowhere to go,  nothing to achieve. 

Simply being here, now, 

resting. 

As we notice our thoughts arising, as they do,  let's take a moment to observe them.  To notice them,  to watch the stories that they tell. 

We can even imagine ourselves.  Sat on a green grassy bank  at the side of a stream or a river,  watching the water rushing by.  And in this water,  or floating on top, are  your thoughts. 

How do you see your thoughts? Are  they words?  Images?  Emotions?  People?  Scenes from a film? 

Are they floating on leaves?  Planks of wood?  Or are they even swimming against the flow? 

Just allow yourself to sit on the bank  and watch your thoughts float by the  stream or the river. 

And notice the content and the depth of your thoughts as they float by.  Are they floating by easily?  Or have they got stuck in some rocks or twigs?  And maybe just notice the water. Is it clear or is it murky? 

Allow your thoughts to be gently washed down the stream or the river. And  bring in your awareness to your breath and your body.  As you sit on the bank,  simply relaxing. 

Observing your thoughts.  Not getting tangled up in the stories.  Not getting involved in the conversations.  Simply observing, 

watching, 

breathing, 

relaxing. 

Gently bringing your awareness back to your breathing. 

Noticing where your feet are. 

Feeling the weight of your body  on the support. 

Reflecting  on our intention, motivation for the practice.  Allowing our body to relax. 

And offering gratitude for the time we've spent together.  Allow yourself to meditate, to  rest the mind and body, 

knowing that the benefits of this mindfulness  will not only benefit you,  but will have a ripple effect on those around you,  bringing calm into your day. 

Very slowly, open your eyes,  roll back the shoulders,  have a stretch if needed,  and take a drink of water, and  move on to the next task of your day.