So in this mindfulness practice which is called Choose Your Anchor I'd like to give you the opportunity to explore finding somewhere that your mind is happy to settle on.
So giving the mind something to do.
A busy mind loves something to do,
That's what it does,
Produces thoughts and takes you off in all directions.
So the idea of this practice is to find somewhere that feels like a nice place to settle when the mind feels busy so that you've got an alternative to come back to.
So the senses and the breath are doorways to the present moment so that's what I'll be wandering through for you to try out different doorways that help you to find that way back to the present moment.
It's really an opportunity to explore what works best for you.
So we'll be exploring all the senses,
Touch,
Sounds,
Hearing,
Taste,
Even smells and the scent can be really quite useful particularly if you're into aromatherapy.
The essential oils can be useful if you might find that that works really well for you to bring your mind back into the present moment.
The breath is a classic,
Always available to rest attention on.
They're all places that you can go to and essentially you're using your own inner tuning fork to see which one of those gives you the greatest sense of comfort and ease and respite from that busy mind.
So take a moment to just settle,
Find a position of comfort but also know that during the practice if discomfort arises you can make that a part of your practice just noticing it and then responding by bringing the body into an improved position of comfort.
Let's just start by taking three fully conscious breaths.
Just following the pathway of your breath.
All the way in and all the way out.
Have an initial run through the senses just noticing your sense of touch.
What are you touching at the moment?
The sensations of that,
The sounds that you can hear,
Taste in your mouth and whether there is any scent that you can detect in your environment.
And as with all these practices you can have your eyes opened or closed and feel free to have an external object that you'd like to focus on.
This might be a particular color or something of interest just somewhere that you can take your attention.
Whenever you find that distressing thoughts are arising or just taking you away.
So we will scan through the body just to tone the system and to help bring your attention into this moment.
As you're feeling the sensations in the body you can't be thinking.
So feeling into sensation is a direct pathway out of that busy mind.
So sense the mouth,
The teeth,
The tongue,
All of the mouth,
The ears,
The temples,
Forehead,
Eyes,
Nose,
Back of your head,
The top of your head,
Inside the head,
Neck and throat,
Shoulders,
Left arm,
Right arm,
Left hand,
Right hand,
Chest,
Upper back,
The middle of the torso,
The floor of the torso,
The glutes and the hips,
Upper legs,
Knees,
Shins and calves,
Ankles,
Tops of the feet,
Soles of the feet and your ten toes.
So just feel this sensation of your entire body.
And now if you like take your attention back to the movement of your breath.
Just following the pathway of the breath as it enters and leaves.
It's noticing a gentle urban flow just like you were riding the tide.
Notice how it feels as you rest your attention on your breath.
What is that like for you?
Now if you like shift your attention to the sounds that you can hear around you.
Let hearing be the focus of your attention.
Hearing things outside a long way away from you.
Hearing things closer to you,
Perhaps inside.
Maybe even hearing the sounds of your own body,
The sounds of your own breath.
Just tuning in to that sense perception of hearing and noticing what comes to you.
Without having to name it or label it.
Just receiving the sounds that come through your sense perception of hearing.
You can shift your attention to what you're tasting.
What does it feel like when you rest your attention with your sense of taste?
And then your sense of smell.
Just smelling.
What is that like for you?
All of the senses in your breath as doorways to the present moment.
Always available to you.
See which one most suits you.
Take your time now as you wander through your senses and your breath.
Styling in,
Tuning in to see which one gives you the greatest sense of comfort and ease.
Where does it feel best for you to rest your attention?
Just let your attention wander.
Set it all free to be here without any sense of needing to control.
But just styling in,
Tuning in to that inner compass of comfort and ease.
Where does it feel best for you to rest attention?
Perhaps it just feels good to let your attention wander between all of the senses and the breath.
Just to notice that.
Knowing that it could be very different tomorrow.
Noticing your experience in this moment.
Finding your way now back into your fully wide awake state of consciousness.
Perhaps there's some movement that would like to happen in the body.
Fingers or toes or perhaps just a wriggle or a stretch.
And just take your time as you put all the layers back on.
One final run through the senses.
Touching,
Tasting,
Smelling,
Hearing.
And finally when you're ready,
Bringing the inner world to meet the outer world.
And bringing with you any sense of peace or quietness.
More into the foreground of your life.
And bringing with you the knowledge of your preferred place to rest your attention away from the busyness of your mind.
Your go-to.
Thank you for taking the time to practice.
