This is a meditation that you can use whenever your thoughts are racing,
And whenever you
cannot think clearly,
And it only takes a few minutes.
For as you go about your day,
You might notice that the practice of calming your mind gets
further and further away from your awareness.
This is because the mind goes on autopilot for hours on end,
And the subconscious mind
takes cues from your environment,
And so it is possible to get emotionally triggered without
even realizing it,
And this can sometimes result in feelings of anxiety embracing thoughts.
And so you can always use this practice of calming your mind to help settle yourself
back into calm,
Quiet awareness whenever you need to,
And it only takes a few minutes.
So I invite you to set aside a few minutes now to practice calming your mind,
And the
more you practice,
The more you will be able to calm your mind at will.
So just notice how your mind is right now.
Notice what it is doing.
What are you thinking about right now?
Just watch your mind,
Noticing if you are thinking anxious thoughts.
And now take a deep breath,
And utilize your deep breathing to help relax your body,
And
to help relax your mind.
Breathing deeply,
And with each exhale,
Inviting the muscles in your body to relax,
And inviting
your mind to relax.
And you know that your mind can lead you to anxious thoughts about what could go wrong,
But you also know that your mind can help you experience feelings of calm,
And your
mind and the anxiety that it generates is a learned behavior,
And it can be unlearned
until one day you will be able to create calm in your mind and your body at will.
You just need to practice and repeat these suggestions daily.
So begin this practice by offering your mind a phrase of loving-kindness with the intention
of building a new habit of calm in your mind,
And I invite you right now to create a calming
phrase such as,
May my mind be peaceful,
Or may I come to peace with my mind,
Or you
might simply say,
May my mind be calm.
Simply repeating whatever soothing phrase feels just right for you,
Directing all of
your loving energy and focused attention towards your mind,
Using your calming phrase as the
object of your awareness,
As a kind of a mantra that will support your mind to settle
down and become still.
And now I encourage you to hear the calming phrase in your head as you connect to the
meaning of the phrase in your body on an emotional level.
So if you are affirming,
For example,
I am calm,
Associate this statement with a calming
image,
One that feels very calming to you.
You might see a vast ocean,
For example,
Or a blue sky,
Or a beautiful flower,
And
if your calming mantra and your calming image gets interrupted,
Whenever you notice that
your mind is becoming agitated,
Anxious,
Or overactive,
Again,
Simply use one word
to briefly describe your anxiety and then let it go.
So if you're feeling anxious during this practice,
You briefly might note the word anxious,
Or
the word worried,
And don't follow that anxiety story.
Don't deny it or ignore it either.
Just let it be there for a moment,
Name it,
And then drop it down into the ground.
Then return to your calming phrase,
Repeating your calming phrase while seeing a calming
picture in your mind to anchor the calming phrase into a new mental habit.
Seeing in your mind your calming phrase while picturing your calming image
and feeling the increased calm in your body.
And we're going to continue with the repetition of your calming phrase
and your calming image until your meditation time is up.
And we'll take two more minutes to practice,
And just remember to be gentle with yourself,
Not forcing or straining to concentrate.
And if your mind wanders off into anxiety,
Just notice what it is doing with one word,
Such as the word worry.
And then gently bring your mind back to your calming phrase.
You might say,
I am calm and see a calm blue sky.
And continue to breathe as you feel your body
increasingly relax and your mind increasingly relax
from your calming phrase and your calming imagery.
And your period of practice begins now.
And I will be silent for two minutes while you practice.
Welcoming you back and wishing you a peaceful day.
