And welcome.
My name is Dr.
Devina Wadhwa.
And I am going to talk to you about a technique that I teach on Insight Timer,
Mindfulness.
What does it mean to be mindful?
If you have ever been curious about mindfulness but wondered,
Can I actually do this?
You are not alone.
One of the biggest misconceptions about mindfulness.
Is that it's about emptying your mind or stopping your thoughts.
People often tell me,
I tried meditating,
But I couldn't stop thinking.
The truth is that that is not the goal.
Our minds are designed to think.
They plan,
They remember,
They solve problems,
And they imagine.
Having thoughts during your meditation practice does not mean you are doing it wrong.
It simply means that you have a human mind.
So what is mindfulness?
Add its heart.
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with curiosity rather than judgment.
It's noticing your breath without trying to change it.
Becoming aware that your shoulders are tense.
It's recognizing that you're feeling anxious or sad or joyous.
Or excited,
Without immediately trying to push those feelings away.
Mindfulness is not about creating a perfect moment.
It's about becoming more present for the moment you are already living in.
Imagine.
You are sitting beside a river.
And every leaf.
Floating down with the water.
Represent Mindfulness isn't about jumping into the river and trying to stop every leaf.
It's about sitting on the riverbank and simply noticing the leaves as they pass.
Some thoughts will stay longer than others.
Some emotions may feel stronger than others.
And that is okay.
The practice is gently bringing your attention back.
Again?
And again.
Whether that is to your breath,
Your body.
Or the sounds around you.
Every time you notice that your mind has wandered,
Gently return your attention.
To your breath.
That is the practice.
Of mindfulness.
I invite you.
To try this practice.
One breath.
At a time.
If you are beginning.
Remember this.
You do not need a quiet mind to meditate.
You only need a willingness to notice what is here with a little curiosity and a lot of kindness.
Thank you for being here.
And I hope this gives you the confidence to begin your own mindfulness practice.
