Welcome to the session.
I invite you to take a seat.
Or lie down and get yourself comfortable.
You can close down the eyes if you wish.
Just begin slowing down the breath.
Taking a moment to check into the body.
Noticing and releasing.
Any surface level tensions that might be present.
And turning your attention to the mind space.
Noting Any lingering thoughts?
Memories.
Mutes.
Emotions.
Just allowing them to slip away.
To pass.
Today we're going to be looking at mindfulness meditation.
Adding the idea of labelling.
So we'll begin with the basic mindfulness meditation instruction.
You pick an anchor.
In most cases,
The breath.
And you.
Turn your attention towards it.
Let's try that now.
Really deeply feel.
The sensations of the breath.
Entering and leaving the nose.
If you notice your mind wandering.
Gently.
Lovingly.
Return it back to the sensations of the breath at the nose.
Our goal isn't to change anything.
To alter anything.
Is just to become aware.
Her mind wanders.
We bring it back.
We noticed ourselves getting lost in thought.
Sensation.
We bring it back to the sensations at the nose.
Just feel the breath moving.
That's the basic practice of mindfulness meditation.
But we can add something known as labeling.
We maintain our anchor upon the breath.
But when we catch our mind.
Wandering.
We label it.
Relabeled We got lost.
What we found ourselves focusing on.
Instead of the breath.
Your mind wanders.
And you realise you're lost in thought.
So you label it thought.
On mood.
Or memory.
Or sensation.
Or sound.
The act of labeling.
Gives you a better chance of being able to bring your attention back.
To the breath.
Back to your anchor.
You mind,
Wonders?
You label it.
You notice yourself.
Distracted.
If you notice,
You've.
.
.
Stopped focusing on the breath.
Bible.
What you got distracted by.
And then gently.
Lovingly.
Return your attention back.
To the breath Sometimes you don't know.
How to label.
Captured your attention.
In those cases,
You might just label whatever it is as.
.
.
Distraction.
Or you might find that there's a combination or an overwhelm.
When that arises for me,
I call it the cloud.
As in sort of a raging cloud of different things.
You find yourself lost.
If you find yourself distracted.
Bible it.
Gently.
Lovingly return.
The sensations of the breath.
At the nurse.
Important to remember that the goal of Mouthfulness meditation is not to empty the mind.
It's not really even to stay focused.
The breath or the anchor.
Really,
It's to become aware of.
The contents of consciousness.
To notice where the mind is.
So when you catch your mind.
Distracted.
That's the goal.
You're doing it.
Now yes.
Over time,
You will develop focus.
You will get better at maintaining a single point.
But the goal of the practice primarily is to notice where the mind is.
And then bring it back.
That's why we say,
And lovingly return it back to the breath.
You don't berate yourself Bring yourself down.
Criticize yourself when you notice yourself lost in thought.
Actually the thing you're looking to do.
Better to capture yourself,
To realize your mind has become lost in thought.
Returning it back to the breath.
Than it is to be unaware.
That you've become lost.
One more final time.
We turn our attention to the sensations of the breath at the nose.
If we find ourselves lost in thought.
Emotion,
Memory,
Sensation,
Sound.
The cloud,
Distraction.
We label it.
And gently,
Lovingly return it.
Back to the sensations of the breath.
The nose.
I want to thank you for meditating with me.
Just remind you that The goal of mindfulness meditation is to become aware.
Of where the mind is.
Not to empty the mind.
Not to never become lost in thought.
Those states may be possible.
But for all intents and purposes,
Our goal is to become aware of where the mind is.
Then gently and lovingly return it back to the breath.
This practice will.
.
.
Begin to transcend off the meditation mat.
We don't meditate to get better at meditating.
In the same way that we don't exercise to get better at exercise.
We exercise so that our body is healthy.
Or so that our skills and strength improves.
When we're not exercising.
In the same way We meditate.
So that our mind,
We are more aware of our mind.
And our mind is more focused when we're not meditating.
Throughout our day.
You'll start to see moments of anger.
Jealousy,
Of fear.
Of joy,
Of love,
Of happiness.
You'll start to notice the contents of your consciousness.
And be able to make better choices.
Rather than just falling in.
You'll give yourself that mindful pause.
And be able to choose what to do instead.
Practice daily and that will start happening for you.
Thank you for joining me.
And I'll see you in the next session.
