Hi,
I'm Angie Gowen,
And welcome to this guided meditation called What Is Here That Isn't Thought?
Allow yourself to settle into gravity in whatever position is most comfortable for you.
With eyes opened or closed,
Let your attention wander freely wherever it likes.
See if you can follow its movements,
And simply notice where it travels.
When attention roamed,
As it just did,
Where did it go?
Did you find that it mostly stayed in the chatter of your mind?
If so,
Congratulations!
You're in good company with the billions of other human beings with functioning brains.
There's nothing wrong with thought.
It's a natural part of the human experience.
But much of the time we're so wrapped up in its illusory,
Ever-changing stories of the past and future that we're blind to what's happening in our direct experience of right now.
Have you ever been driving home and become so engrossed in your own thoughts that you end up pulling into your driveway with no idea of how you got there?
Of course,
Me too,
And we end up missing out on what's happening right in front of us because thoughts have captured our attention.
But what exactly are we missing?
If we're not paying attention to our stream of thoughts,
What else is there?
Let's find out.
Gently close your eyes if they are not already closed.
Now,
Turn the light of your attention away from any thoughts or concepts that arise.
They are absolutely allowed to be here.
They are not a problem.
But they simply don't require any attention right now,
So let them be.
Allow the light of your attention to reach out and touch anything and everything that is not made of thoughts.
Feel into what's here before,
Between,
And beyond the running of the mind.
Do this for a few minutes now.
Come back now.
Just for a moment.
What did you discover?
Were you able to really notice your physical senses,
Like hearing or smelling,
When your attention wasn't on your thoughts?
Were you aware of any gurgling or tightness or thrumming or the subtle movements in your body?
Did you sense the buzz and hum of life unfolding in and around you?
Let's take just a few more minutes to really sink in and revel in this non-thought experience that's happening right now.
Amazing.
Take a deep breath.
And let it out.
Slowly open your eyes.
Give yourself a little stretch if you need one.
I invite you to take this shift of attention with you as you venture out into your everyday life.
When we're deeply curious about our human experience without so much thought-based distraction,
Maybe we're able to live more present,
Full,
And authentic lives.
I encourage you to find out.
Come back to this meditation as often as you'd like to actively rest in your direct sensory experience.
I'll be right here with you.
Remember,
Awakening only ever happens right now.
Until next time,
Peace and love to you.
