This is a 10-minute guided mindfulness meditation.
I encourage you to find a comfortable meditation posture.
Giving yourself a moment to find a way to sit that feels sustainable for 10 minutes.
And allowing the eyes to close.
Just connecting with this intention here at the beginning to arrive where we are.
You don't need to switch on mindfulness mode.
You don't need to force the attention to do anything.
Just resting where you are with this intention of being present.
Recognizing how the body's sitting.
Here in the chair or cushion.
Recognizing any noises going on around you.
Maybe the sounds of birds outside or cars passing.
Recognizing the mental state.
Does the mind feel collected right now?
Maybe there's some monkey mind.
Maybe it's energized or sleepy.
As we rest here in this present moment,
You can use a simple one-word note to note what is going on in your experience.
The mind goes off into thinking.
Just noting that you're thinking.
That there are thoughts present.
If you feel a sensation in the body,
Noting feeling.
Or perhaps where in the body you feel it.
Same goes for hearing.
Or even with eyes closed,
Seeing.
Resting with this open awareness.
Allowing whatever arises,
Space to come in.
And space to move on.
Recognizing from moment to moment the arising and passing of whatever's coming up in your experience.
When the mind wanders off or gets hooked into something,
Just noting it.
You might note the type of thought.
Planning or ruminating.
You also might note any reaction or response.
Judging.
Disappointment.
We don't need to change anything in these moments.
Just observing what is actually happening.
You can always come back to the sensation of the body breathing for a few breaths to re-anchor yourself into the present moment.
And then opening your awareness back up to see what is arising.
What's happening for you right now.
And here,
For the last minute or so,
Returning to where we started.
Reconnecting with the body.
Has the posture changed?
Are we slouching?
Perhaps we can bring some energy back into the body.
Recognizing the sound going on around you outside.
And recognizing that you're hearing this.
And finally,
Tuning in again to the mental state.
Not the specific thoughts,
But the overall state of mind.
Is the mind concentrated?
Is it at ease?
Is it effortful and straining?
Again,
We don't need to change anything.
Just bringing our awareness to this mental state.
