Open Awareness Practice To Calm A Busy Mind

Welcome to this short open awareness practice.

This is a practice that can help you to unhook from ruination and looping thoughts.

So let's begin.

I invite you to find a way to sit,

Stand,

Or lay down.

Get comfortable and take a few deep breaths,

Offering yourself a moment of appreciation for taking this pause.

For this practice,

We're not really trying to do anything.

We're allowing ourselves to be here as we are and noticing what comes up with a sense of curiosity and kindness toward ourselves.

Whenever you notice a thought,

An emotion,

A physical sensation,

Simply label it thinking or feeling.

If you find yourself drifting off into thinking,

That's natural.

You might like to use an anchor of the breath or a sound,

Or maybe feeling the sense of your feet on the ground.

Letting your attention find the natural rhythm of your breath,

The sounds around you.

I invite you to let go of any sense of effort or striving here.

You're just chilling.

So in time,

You're going to notice the appearance of thoughts and emotions or sensations.

See if you can make a mental note every few seconds about general mental and emotional condition.

Give it a short label and welcome it to the party.

You might say to yourself,

Thinking,

Buzzing in hands,

Hearing sounds.

What's your mental and emotional weather system like?

Whatever comes up.

How is it just to observe it?

Just like you would look up at a rain cloud,

Not wishing it to change or be different.

Simply watching it go by.

If you notice it's difficult to stay present,

It's totally normal.

Bring your attention back to your anchor point.

Could be in the breath,

Sound,

Or sensation on your body.

Every time something comes up that catches your attention,

Name it before it takes you too far away.

How is it to shift from being in the thought to being aware that you're just experiencing a thought?

This just a drop this noting practice,

Letting yourself be here just as you are.

Thanks for practicing,

Friend.