And welcome to the session.
I invite you to lay down.
Take a seat.
And get yourself comfortable.
You can close down the eyes if you wish.
Just begin by focusing your attention on the sensations at the breath.
Feeling the air entering and leaving the nose.
Today's session,
We're going to be practicing something that I call a mind space witness.
This is analogous to.
.
.
A body scan.
Before the mind.
In a body scan,
You scan each part.
Part by part,
Piece by piece.
Just feeling the sensations that are arising.
Without judgment.
Without filter.
Just a mindful observation.
We can do so with the components of our mind.
Getting deeper.
Getting more subtle.
But exploring the aspects that make up the mind space,
Mindfully.
Taking a slow,
Deep breath.
Going to turn our focus.
To the most obvious thing that our mind picks up.
Information from the census.
Noticing what we can hear.
Noticing what we can feel in our body.
Noticing what we can see.
Behind closed eyes are open.
Noticing what we can taste and smell.
Noting any internal feelings that are arising.
These are the sensations that are arising in this moment.
We accept them.
If at any point during this meditation,
We find ourselves lost in thought.
Return our focus back to the breath.
And then on to the object that we're focusing on currently.
Noting the sensations that are arising in this moment.
What we can see.
Taste.
Smell.
Perceive internally.
Taking a slow,
Calm,
Deep breath.
I want to move into the mind space a little bit deeper.
By becoming aware of any thoughts that are arising.
Noticing the content.
The internal volume.
The Voice.
Of which he is speaking.
Is it Al's or is it another?
Is it speaking to,
From?
Or about us.
Is it nonsense?
Just observing and accepting.
Any thoughts that are arising.
Taking a moment to Consider where these thoughts are coming from.
And where they're going.
We're not choosing which thoughts arise.
They sort of just.
.
.
He observed them.
And then we watch them go.
We can choose to make a thought appear.
The thoughts just seem to appear on their own as well.
Just witness them.
Taking another slow,
Deep breath.
In through the nose.
Going to go a little bit deeper still.
Into emotions.
Feelings.
Noting if there are any emotions or feelings or moods present in the mind.
And really focusing in deep on how we know that those moods are present.
Maybe it's just a general sense.
Or you're picking up upon the collection of.
.
.
Bodily sensations.
Perhaps an internal mental feeling.
Like an overlay.
Looking through cellophane.
Maybe there's more than one present.
Taking a moment to note.
The moods,
Emotions and feelings that are arising.
This strength.
Parts of the mind that they take up.
The parts of the mind that they don't.
Just witnessing it all.
And taking another slow,
Deep breath.
We go a little bit deeper still into the mind space.
Into memory.
What memories are present in the mind?
And how are those memories presenting to you?
Are you witnessing them?
From the first person.
As in you,
In those memories.
They are appearing like a.
.
.
Television show where you're watching it externally.
How vivid are the memories?
And CLIA.
Maybe it's just a general knowing.
Of something that has happened.
Getting curious about the memories.
Why are those memories present and not others?
What aspect of them?
Are you holding on to?
Focusing upon.
How old were you at the time?
We're just observing We just wait this in.
We're just looking.
We're just accepting that these are the memories that are arising right now.
Taking another slow,
Deep breath.
In through the nose.
Turn our attention.
Deeper still to imagination.
To future-focused thought.
To hopes,
To anxieties.
Noticing where our mind is drifting towards thoughts of the future.
Feelings about the future.
Seeing it create things out of nothing.
Why these thoughts of the future?
These anxieties,
These hopes.
Why these creations?
Visualizations.
And not others.
Just witnessing it all.
Going a little bit deeper still into the mind space.
With another slow,
Deep breath.
Taking a look at our impulses.
These are.
By way of analogy,
Almost looking at programming.
Of the computer,
The part of us that causes us to act.
Our desires,
Our versions,
Our addictions.
Our base tendencies.
Gut reactions.
The impulse to move or to do.
Doing our best to witness any impulses.
That are arising.
And their immediate consequences.
Once again we're not judging.
Approaching and accepting whatever arises.
Compassionate Curiosity.
Calm confidence.
These are the impulses.
That are arising in your mind in this moment.
That's okay.
It is what it is.
Which is Mindfully Witnessing.
Going a little bit deeper still.
Into metacognition.
Your awareness of awareness.
The part of you that is aware that you are doing the meditation in this moment.
Part that is aware that it is thinking.
The observation of the observer.
And the part that is observing that.
The infinite regress.
It is us attempting to turn the lens of attention.
In upon itself.
Witnessing the witness.
Notice all of that arising.
There is your mind's pull towards.
Earlier focus,
The sensations,
The thoughts,
The emotions.
But then notice you noticing that.
And noticing the noticing of the noticing of that.
Is like breaking our own fourth wall.
Now going a little bit deeper still into states of consciousness.
What is the overall state of your mind in this moment?
No judgment.
Just it is what it is.
Are you focused?
Mindful.
Distracted.
Sleepy.
Confused.
Peace.
Noticing the overall mode of your mind.
Just noticing the overall mode of your mind.
What's arising in this moment?
The final aspect.
One more slow,
Deep breath.
Is the sense of self or soul.
The Heart Space.
The part of you that is connected.
The Divine.
The emptiness.
The spiritual side.
If you have access to such a space.
Feeling and witnessing.
The resulting sensations,
Thoughts,
Emotions,
Memories,
Moods everything that arises.
For mindful observation of the mind space.
From our connection.
To the self.
Of the divine beyond.
Now taking a moment.
To let it all go.
Returning our focus back to the sensations of the breath at the nose.
But being aware of all of the different aspects of the mind space.
Sensations,
Thoughts.
Emotions moods feelings,
Memories.
Imaginations,
Anxieties.
Impulses.
Metacognition,
States of consciousness.
In the sense of the self or the soul.
All of it.
Being aware of it all arising.
Returning our focus back to the breath.
Just witnessing it all.
Allowing it all.
So today we practice Mindspace Witnessing.
A mental version of a body scan.
I have a little bit of a mnemonic.
To help you remember the order.
You say these words and the first word is the same as the thing you scan.
Sometimes the elephant makes imaginary ice cream meringues super salty.
Sometimes for sensations.
The thoughts.
Elephant for emotions.
Makes the memories.
Imaginary for imagination.
I scream for impulses.
Meringues for Metacognitions.
Super for states of consciousness.
And salty for the sense of soul.
So if you'd like to practice this mind space.
Went to sing on your own.
You remember the mnemonic?
Sometimes the elephant makes imaginary ice cream meringues super salty.
You can take yourself through each step as you go.
But this is just an order that I created.
Going from the most overt and obvious down to the most subtle.
I encourage you to explore your own inner space.
Find the component parts of your own mind.
And perhaps find a way to explore your own mind space in an order that works for you.
Just remember that whatever is arising is arising.
We accept it.
With an attitude of compassionate curiosity.
And calm confidence.
Thank you for joining me today.
And I'll see you in the next session.
