Hi,
My name is Neil Shepherd and I'm from Inner Synergy and I'd like to take you through this mindfulness experience or journey.
It's called the power to notice,
Release and accept.
So either sitting or lying down,
But if you're sitting,
Sit with your back as straight as you can without straining or striving.
It's just about feeling stable in a comfortable posture.
Invite you to close your eyes or have them downcast on the floor to reduce the sensory inputs just for the practice.
Invite you to allow any tightness or tension in your body to dissolve.
You might like to imagine you're dropping or sliding into neutral.
There's no standard to achieve here.
We're just going to practice focused attention for the best experience.
If you can be open,
Curious and receptive,
Just letting go of any preconceived ideas and just see what happens.
Practice is about being able to sustain a focus on one thing for extended periods.
We're going to take some time to focus in on this practice.
If your mind wanders off,
Just gently pull it back and focusing in on this practice.
Invite you to take three slightly slower,
Slightly deeper breaths down into the belly.
You might like to count as you're breathing in to the count of four and as you're breathing out to the count of five.
Pressing the belly rise.
Often when we're stressed,
We just shallow chest breathe.
This isn't as effective.
From there just breathing normally,
Your body knows what to do.
Taking your time to relax the body.
Letting tension just release and letting go.
Using your face,
Your eyes,
Jaw unclenched.
You may like to roll your shoulders backwards and drop them down.
Releasing,
Relaxing,
Calm.
Feel your whole body making contact with the chair or the floor.
Noticing your weight on the chair or on the floor.
If you're sitting,
Feel your feet on the ground.
Feeling more grounded maybe.
Releasing,
Loosening,
Calming,
Breathing,
Connecting with ourselves.
What we don't often do.
Allowing presence without judgment.
Allowing our body to relax and release while our mind stays awake.
Noticing.
Everything though without judgment.
Not needing our environment to be a certain way for us to feel happy.
The environment meaning people,
Places and situations.
We just accept what is.
The more we get used to that,
The less drama and conflict we'll find that comes with needing to have an opinion about everything.
Without hurrying,
Try to notice and be aware of the present moment.
Our body and our breath is always in the present moment.
Our mind is often racing off into the future or ruminating back in the past.
This is about getting away from reactivity.
Creating some space and clarity so that we can respond to what is.
It's an awareness of our thoughts,
Our feelings,
Our emotions,
Our sensations.
Not without judging or reacting or creating more chains of thoughts.
Letting go of our habits.
Letting go of our need of control.
Letting go of our need to be busy all of the time.
Letting go of overthinking.
Letting go of fears of what if.
What if something happens?
We can deal with things as they come up.
A slow deep breath down into the belly.
Calm,
Relaxed,
Released.
I'd like you to remember this feeling.
This is something you can come back to.
With practice,
Our mind can release some states of being that do not serve us,
Such as anger,
Aggression,
Fear.
And apply ones that do benefit us more,
Like kindness,
Generosity,
Happiness,
Joy,
Love,
Excitement,
Passion.
How?
When we build our awareness by doing this practice,
We can recognize and notice who we are being.
Our reactions,
Our old belief systems,
Our habits,
The things that don't necessarily benefit us.
Watching our inner critic,
Teaching it just like a little puppy to stay or sit.
Initially it just wants to play and run around.
Over time the puppy learns,
Like the mind does,
To sit and be okay just being.
We can learn to more naturally trigger our autonomic nervous system's relaxation response by applying the metaphorical brake.
Taking our foot off the mind's accelerator.
Doesn't need to be going all the time,
There's no room,
There's no space for thought.
Innovation,
Creativity,
Clarity.
When we can practice mindfulness,
We start to realize it's okay sometimes if we're not okay.
We can just accept what is.
We never have to like a situation,
But sometimes we may have to accept it,
At least until we can take action to change it,
If we can.
Relaxed,
Released,
Calm,
Mind alert,
Noticing.
This is not about not thinking either.
Thinking is natural,
Although invasive overthinking doesn't benefit us.
Learning how to just be is a wonderful circuit breaker for the mind.
We can notice how often we are distracted,
Wandering off on autopilot.
Do you have any thoughts wandering through your mind right now?
You could practice by saying,
It's just a thought.
Learning to live in the natural flow of life.
Observing,
Responding,
Accepting,
Kindness.
Affirmative action with strength,
Calmness and humility.
I'm going to introduce a technique called RAIN.
It's a great tool for overwhelm.
As an example,
I'd like you to think of a recent challenge or reaction where there was an emotion involved.
Please don't go into anything traumatic.
Just a recent time where it might have been a little bit difficult conversation or what have you.
What happened?
Who was involved?
What was said?
What were the people wearing?
What were you wearing?
Recall the event,
Not creating more thought about it.
And I'd like you to apply the acronym RAIN.
R for recognize.
What was the emotion that went with it?
Was it fear or anger or sadness or frustration,
Shame or jealousy?
Label it,
Put a name to it.
There goes that fearful response as an example.
Noticing it rather than absorbing in it.
R recognize.
When we have awareness,
We can recognize who we're being as opposed to who we want to be.
A for accept or allow.
Allow the feeling to be there.
Even if there is resistance in your mind,
Allow it to be there.
You don't have to like it.
However sometimes we do need to accept what is.
At least until we're in a position to change it if we can.
If you're stuck in a big long line of traffic,
There's not much you can do other than accept it.
Unless you've got a helicopter or a tunnel where you can drive away from the traffic jam.
The I out of RAIN is investigate.
Investigate with kindness and curiosity.
Why am I feeling this way?
What triggered this reaction?
Where do I feel it in my body?
Being kind,
Open,
Receptive and curious.
Is a long way.
The N out of RAIN is non identification with the situation.
It is just a situation.
It's not who you are personally.
So the recommendation is to not take things too personally.
It's not who you are.
It doesn't make you a bad person.
It's not who you are all the time.
It may be just a bit of bad weather travelling through our mind.
And as we will learn everything is transient and changes.
This is an important point because our brain doesn't know the difference between real or imagined.
And we can create physiological change in our body just by thinking about something.
I've wired people up with biofeedback devices and got them to think about a challenging time.
That one person's heart rate went from 70 beats a minute to 120 in a real time computer review.
Wouldn't have known the person was challenged.
Again breathing slow and a little deeper down into the belly.
In for 4,
Out for 5.
Released,
Released,
Calm.
Body released,
Mind alert.
Now I'd like you to remember a recent joyful happy situation.
It could have been as simple as a beautiful meal or playing with a pet or child,
A partner,
Doing something you love doing,
A passion.
Anything that uplifts or inspires you,
Excites you.
A feeling of appreciation or a feeling of accomplishment for something you've done.
A travel adventure,
A special moment.
Immerse yourself in this joyous,
Happy or memorable memory.
Who was involved?
What happened?
Remembering the situation and feeling that it gave you.
Smiling at the occasion,
Bringing it into your heart.
Breathing in to the count of 4.
Slow,
Deep,
Calm,
Released,
Relaxed.
When you're feeling happy,
Imagine bringing this feeling of smiling into the centre of your chest.
Interestingly this is measurable via a thing called heart rate variability.
The changes in our heart rhythms when we do this is easily measurable.
Mindfulness helps us experience life in the best way possible.
We can notice more,
We can experience more,
We can accept more,
We can be kinder,
Calmer and we can have more clarity.
Learning to be less distractable.
To improve our performance both personally and professionally,
It's a superpower.
To be able to have some form of self-regulation and self-awareness.
Growing your power to respond,
To observe,
To accept,
To release,
To be calmer and happier more often.
We're finishing up this meditation shortly.
Taking another one or two slower,
Deeper breaths.
Maybe smiling to yourself.
Think of a few things that you can be grateful for.
Looking back into the room.
Open your eyes,
Looking around.
Remember this feeling.
Thanks I'm Neil Shepherd,
Inner synergy.
