Hello,
My name is Sean and thank you for joining me today The following meditation is a meditation on thoughts and can be used as a tool to put a little space between you and The flow of thoughts to start bring yourself into a comfortable seated position Allow your body to be alert,
But at ease Shoulders can soften down the back hands can rest in any comfortable position And on your next exhale allow your eyes to gently close And begin to connect with your breath Maybe you connect with sensation at the nostrils or the chest or the belly Or maybe you connect with the full movement of breath throughout your body Wherever it is that you do connect allow your awareness to rest here No need to change or modify the breath just allowing the breath to flow naturally freely noticing the sensations of breath as they move throughout the body And in this space begin to arrive into your present moment Noticing what it's like to be in this body the space of the body The body still The body breathing And in this space begin to open up to your thoughts much like you would a friend Opening to them And letting go of the past And letting go of the past And letting go of the past And letting go of the past And letting go of the past as you begin to the last day or a few days And as you begin to notice your thoughts open up to the following question Over the last day or a few days Where have your thoughts been taking you Maybe your thoughts have been focused in the past.
Maybe your thoughts have been focused in the future.
If your thoughts have been focused in the past,
Have they been happy reflections?
Have they been ruminations or regrets?
Or maybe there's been another quality and you could describe these past thoughts in a different way.
And if they've been thoughts of the future,
Have they been planning thoughts,
Strategizing,
Hoping,
Or worrying?
Maybe there's another description that comes to mind,
Another quality of future thinking.
And if so,
Just allowing yourself to notice this.
Again remembering that we're bringing a kind and curious attention,
An attention of openness and interest.
Just allowing ourselves to notice whatever thoughts arise.
And then bringing your awareness back to your breath,
Back to the space of your breath.
Beginning to notice that with the focus of breath,
You are growing a space between you and your thoughts.
It's as if every breath you take adds a little more space between you and your thoughts.
Now opening again to your thoughts,
Bring to mind how you would describe the tone of your thoughts over the past day or a few days.
Have they been sharp or judgmental?
Maybe they've been encouraging and hopeful.
Whatever tone has been there,
Just allow yourself to simply notice it.
Again no need to judge,
Just simply allowing it to be.
As you allow your thoughts to be,
Gently observe what happens to your thoughts with this kind open attention.
Notice how they respond.
Notice the space growing between you and your thoughts.
It is in this space we are reminded that we are not our thoughts.
So again coming back to the breath,
Connecting to that flow of breathing,
To the body being breathed.
And in this space realizing you are not your thoughts,
You are the awareness of thoughts.
With this space and this knowing allow yourself to open to the following questions.
Have these thoughts been reoccurring thoughts or are these thoughts new thoughts?
How do these thoughts feel in your body?
Maybe you feel sensations of tightness or tension,
Maybe heaviness,
Maybe you feel a lightness and openness,
A warmth,
A relief.
Notice how these thoughts feel in your heart.
Do they feel closing or tightening,
Maybe a hardening,
Maybe there's a softening and expanding,
A warming,
A releasing?
As we breathe with each breath we bring awareness to our thoughts and in that awareness we build space between us and our thoughts,
Realizing we are not our thoughts.
So now in this space I want you to ask yourself the following question.
If there was one thought that was always with you as a constant companion,
A thought to count on,
To return to,
What would it be?
Asking this question,
Allow whatever arises to arise naturally.
Maybe it's the thought that I am enough or I am worthy or I will be alright.
The thought of I can trust myself,
I am safe,
I can count on myself,
Whatever it is.
Allow yourself to take note of this thought.
Allow yourself to bring this thought into your heart space.
Allow yourself to know this how it feels in your body.
Just allow yourself to note that you can always return to this thought.
Whenever you need to.
Remembering that we are not our thoughts,
We are the awareness of thoughts and as such we choose which thoughts we want to keep and which thoughts we wish to let go.
So taking a final note of your grounding thought and then letting it go.
Bring your awareness back into your breath,
Allowing your breath to lengthen and deepen.
Taking a few conscious mindful breaths and bringing awareness back into your body,
The space of your body,
The space around your body.
And then when you are ready,
Allowing your eyes to gently open and bring yourself back into the rest of your day.
