Observing Thoughts & Emotions: A Mindful Awareness Practice

In this calming guided meditation, you’ll be invited to gently observe your thoughts and emotions with curiosity and compassion. Through the imagery of a flowing stream and the practice of emotional awareness, you’ll learn how to witness the inner world without judgment - allowing thoughts and feelings to arise and pass naturally.

This practice helps cultivate: A spacious awareness of thoughts. Emotional presence without reactivity. A deeper sense of inner calm and kindness.

Perfect for times when your mind feels busy or your emotions feel strong, this meditation offers a gentle space to reconnect with yourself.

Transcript

Hi and thank you for joining this mindfulness meditation practice.

Today we will focus on our thoughts and emotions,

Learning to observe them with curiosity and without judgment.

Let's begin by making yourself comfortable either sitting or lying down.

Gently closing the eyes and take a moment to fully arrive in this present moment.

Now bring your awareness to your body.

Feel the contact between your body and the surface beneath you.

Notice the weight of your arms,

Where they are resting.

Take a gentle breath in and as you exhale allow yourself to flow into a state of ease and relaxation.

And now imagine that you are sitting by the side of a stream and watching leaves floating by.

Each leaf represents a thought.

So when a thought arises,

Place it on a leaf and let it drift downstream.

Watch as it flows away and then return to your focus,

To the stream.

You might find some thoughts stay a while or return quickly and that's okay.

Gently place them on an other leaf and let them go.

There is no need to judge or analyze the thought.

Simply observe it and release it.

If the mind wanders and get distracted by thoughts,

Just place each thought onto a new leaf and watch them as they drift downstream.

Let yourself return to your internal stream.

Now gently shift your attention to any emotions that may be present.

How do these emotions show up in your body?

Perhaps a tightness,

Warmth,

Tingling or even a sense of lightness.

Imagine wrapping the emotion in kindness and allow it to be there just as it is without needing to fix or change it.

I invite you to pause here for a few more moments,

Observing your inner world with curiosity and compassion.

Gently bring your awareness back to the body.

Feel the contact points where the body meets the surface beneath you.

Take a couple of deeper breaths,

Slowly and gently.

And let's take one more breath together.

Deep inhale in and a long,

Soft exhale out.

Take a moment to notice how you feel after this mindfulness practice.

And when you are ready,

Bring yourself back to the present moment and gently open your eyes,

Welcoming yourself fully into the here and now.