22:00

Mindful Witnessing

by John Rothwell

Rated
4.7
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
19

This meditation offers a gentle introduction to mindful witnessing — a quiet awareness that observes thoughts, sensations, and emotions without trying to change them. You’ll be guided to rest as the awareness in which experience naturally arises and passes, allowing the body and mind to settle on their own. Spacious pauses and subtle, grounding tones support a sense of steadiness and ease, without drawing attention away from silence. Suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators, this practice invites clarity, calm, and a soft return to presence.

MindfulnessMeditationAwarenessCalmClarityPresenceNonjudgmentalBreath AwarenessBody AwarenessSound AwarenessThought ObservationEmotion ObservationIntegrationBeginner FriendlyAdvancedPosture AwarenessBody Sensation AwarenessAwareness Of AwarenessNonjudgmental PresenceSamurai WisdomIntegration Into Daily Life

Transcript

Begin by finding a posture that is steady and at ease seated or lying down,

One that invokes wakefulness allow the eyes to close or soften the gaze now taking a slow,

Conscious breath in through the nose and a long,

Quiet breath out through the mouth again,

Breathing in breathing out allowing the breath to settle into its own natural rhythm breathing in and out through the nose nothing to adjust,

Nothing to refine just rest the awareness in the rhythm of this breath bring awareness to the body as a whole feel the weight of the body being held by the floor,

The chair,

The earth notice contact points,

Pressure,

Temperature subtle movement let sensation be exactly as it is you are not improving experience,

You are meeting it gently widening the lens of awareness to include the space around the body the room,

The sounds noticing that they arrive without effort sounds come and go on their own you do not follow them,

You do not push them away awareness remains begin to notice thoughts thoughts may appear as words,

Images,

Or fragments planning,

Remembering,

Commenting let each thought arise,

Be known,

And pass no correction,

No judgement like leaves drifting on water if the mind tightens or wanders,

Simply notice that movement even distraction is something that can be seen there is nothing wrong here,

Seeing is already happening if emotions arise,

Restlessness,

Calm,

Heaviness,

Lightness allow them fully feel them directly in the body without memory,

Without naming,

Without explanation emotion too moves when it is not resisted now let attention rest more deeply not on what is appearing but on that which is aware of appearances do not try to imagine this do not define it simply notice experience is known sounds are known sensations are known thoughts are known something is quietly,

Effortlessly aware rest as this simple awareness not watching from a distance not merging into experience but standing clear and present within it nothing to grasp,

Nothing to avoid the legendary Japanese samurai swordsman Miyamoto Musashi said observe what is,

And do not let the mind be clouded let this land gently not as effort,

But as permission clarity does not require tension awareness does not require force you are not sharpening the mind you are allowing it to settle this is a seeing that does not turn away a presence that does not interfere Musashi also wrote perceive that which cannot be seen with the eye rest with this not as mystery,

But as intimacy awareness knowing itself presence,

Present to presence as this meditation begins to draw towards completion gently return awareness to the body feel the breath again the weight the contact with the earth notice how awareness includes action without being lost in it begin to sense the intention of carrying this quality with you into movement,

Into conversation,

Into decision not as vigilance,

But as quiet clarity when you are ready,

Gently open the eyes remain still for a moment and rest in what is already aware and walk gently within the way

Meet your Teacher

John RothwellWindermere, Cumbria, uk

4.7 (3)

Recent Reviews

Karen

February 11, 2026

Thank you, John, for what you are putting out into the world – on this platform and beyond. Each time I listen to one of your meditations, it is a gift for my soul. 🙏🏻💝

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© 2026 John Rothwell. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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