This is Angelique Bellucin with a meditation on mindfulness of thoughts.
So inviting you to settle into a comfortable posture.
That allows you to be relaxed and at ease.
And also alert.
Maybe even a sense of dignity in your posture.
Noticing the connection of where the body makes contact with the chair or the floor.
And if you like.
You can close your eyes or have a soft downward gaze.
Allowing the body to soften.
Relaxing in the face.
Jaw and scalp Melting the neck and shoulders from the inside out.
Softening the chest and belly.
Arms and hands.
Letting go of tension in the hips,
Legs and feet.
You may like to take a few intentional,
Long,
Slow belly breaths.
In through the nose.
Holding for just a moment.
And then slowly exhale out the mouth.
Letting go of tension.
And inviting in a sense of calm.
And another long,
Slow breath in,
Filling the belly completely and then the lungs.
Holding for just a moment.
And then a slow exhale.
Letting go.
Letting go of tension.
And allowing that sense of relaxation to grow.
And one more.
Deep,
Slow breath in through the nose.
Noticing that feeling of air suspended as you hold for just a moment.
And then a long,
Slow exhale.
Letting go,
Releasing tension.
Relaxing.
And then allowing the breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Maybe a slight gentle smile on the mouth as you fully arrive.
Noticing the breath.
And where it is the easiest to feel.
Breathing in.
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out.
I know I am breathing out.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
And.
.
.
Out.
Now,
Allowing the breath.
Or body sensations to be your anchor.
And that can be in the background.
And you can return.
The breath or body sensations anytime with ease.
And as you rest here,
Letting an image form in your mind's eye.
Of a peaceful stream nestled in lush green and a quiet valley.
The water is clear.
Moving gently.
The air is calm.
Light is soft.
And letting this image come into greater focus,
Even if it's not a visual image.
Just allowing the sense of knowing this stream and feeling its presence.
A bird,
A butterfly,
A frog.
Or something else of your choosing.
Lands on a rock in the stream.
Pauses for a moment.
And then goes along its way.
The rock is in the middle of the stream and rising just above the surface.
Study.
Unmoving.
Grounded.
You are this rock.
Water flows around you.
Gentle.
Perfect temperature.
Nothing disturbs your steadiness.
Leaves float along the surface of the stream.
And cradled inside each leaf is one of your thoughts.
A memory.
Plan.
A judgment.
When a thought appears,
Place it gently on a leaf and let it float by.
You remain steady.
Grounded.
Present.
As each leaf passes by,
And with kindness,
Name the thought simply.
Planning.
Remembering.
Judging.
Thinking or something else.
It doesn't need to be perfect.
And you don't need to catch every leaf.
Simply naming what you notice.
And then letting it go.
Each leaf floats downstream.
Some float easily away.
Some leaves swirl in a nook of the stream.
And a few bubbles push them free and they float away.
Now practicing on your own for a few minutes.
You are the rock.
The leaves come and go.
When a thought arises.
Place it on a leaf.
Give it a simple name.
And release it into the gentle current.
And if the mind is quiet,
Simply rest in the streams gentle flow of present awareness.
Beginning to let the image of the stream fade.
Allowing the rock to dissolve back into your sense of the body sitting here.
Feeling the breath.
The weight of the body.
Feeling the steadiness from simply being present.
You are not your thoughts.
Thoughts come and go.
Gently name them if you like.
And you might take a few long,
Slow breaths.
And when you're ready.
In your own time.
You can gently open your eyes.
And just noticing if you can allow some of that wisdom that you just cultivated.
To remain with you.
