Thoughts Come And Go – A Short Mindfulness Meditation

A short meditation from the “Moments of Mindfulness” series. Sometimes a small moment is enough to step back from the flow of thoughts and simply notice what is here.

In this short mindfulness practice, thoughts are at the center. You can notice thoughts, images, or memories without needing to follow or change them.

If it feels comfortable, you can close your eyes or gently lower your gaze and turn your attention inward.

Perhaps you might imagine a wide, blue sky: your thoughts are like clouds that come and go. The sky remains.

For a few minutes, you can simply notice thoughts as they arise and pass. “Moments of Mindfulness” is a series of short meditations exploring different aspects of mindful experience.

The practices are calm, open, and non-dogmatic.

Transcript

It's lovely that you're taking this moment for yourself. Perhaps you can find a position in which you can be here for a few moments just as you are. Begin by noticing one breath. Breathing in. . . Breathing out. And then allow your attention to move toward your thoughts. Simply noticing what arises. A sentence. An image. A memory. Or a thought about something that lies ahead. Perhaps an image of a wide blue sky comes to mind. And your thoughts are like clouds moving across it. Some clouds are small. Others are larger. Some move slowly. Others move more quickly. One thought passes by. And then perhaps another. One stays a little longer. Another returns once again. This thought, Too, Can continue on its way. And sometimes the clouds may cover the whole sky for a moment. Then it may seem as though the cloud is all there is. And yet, The sky is still there. Even when you cannot see it between the clouds. The sky remains wide. And at some point a patch of blue appears again. Clouds come. Clouds go. The sky remains. Stay with this image for another moment. Thoughts arise. Thoughts move on. And beneath all this movement there is space. Now allow your attention to gradually widen again. Feel the space around you. The surface beneath you supporting you. And perhaps you can carry a little of this spaciousness with you into your day. Thoughts come. Thoughts go. . . And the sky is here.