Welcome.
In today's meditation we'll explore the art of letting go.
Our thoughts often feel like they define us but they're simply temporary events in the mind,
Like clouds drifting across an endless sky.
In this practice we'll learn to observe these thoughts without becoming entangled in them,
Fostering a sense of mental clarity and freedom.
This meditation invites you to recognize that you are not your thoughts,
You are the observer of them.
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable position that allows you to rest,
Letting your body settle and closing your eyes.
Giving yourself permission to relax completely and to let go of any to-do lists and any thinking in general.
Allowing your shoulders to soften,
Your jaw to become loose,
Your belly and chest to be relaxed so that the breath can move effortlessly.
Now begin to notice the breath moving through your body.
Feeling the breath at the tip of the nose,
Following it down into the chest,
Into the belly and then following it back out.
Simply noticing and feeling the breath.
Now see if you can become really curious about this breath,
As if you're feeling it for the first time.
What does it feel like as it moves through your body?
What are you sensing?
Now as you are resting your awareness on the breath you will notice that thoughts will come up and that's perfectly fine,
But I invite you to picture your mind as a vast open sky and to imagine your thoughts as clouds passing through the sky.
Each thought being unique in shape,
Size and speed but none of them linger forever.
They arise,
They float across and eventually dissolve.
So as you rest your awareness on the breath and keeping this visualization going just notice any thoughts that arise and whenever a thought comes up imagine it forming into a cloud.
There's no need to push it away or hold on to it,
Simply observe its presence.
And whenever the thought has disappeared or is out of reach simply place your attention back on noticing the breath,
Moving in and moving out.
Whenever you notice a thought arising simply watch it go by,
Moving with the wind and then guide your awareness back to the present moment by focusing on your breath.
If there is a thought that feels particularly persistent just acknowledge that.
You might even say to yourself this is a thought or I see you.
Just acknowledging its presence in your mind and then watch it drift across the sky and fade into the horizon.
And I invite you to notice whether there is any judgment coming up whenever a thought appears and then just noticing that I sense judgment and then letting that go.
The goal here is not to have an empty sky,
An empty mind.
The goal is simply to become aware of the thoughts and placing a distance between you and this thought making you the observer and not the creator of this thought.
And if your mind becomes extremely busy or distracted that's perfectly okay too.
Just guide your attention back to the breath and the image of the sky and reminding yourself that you are not the sky,
You are not the clouds,
You are the observer of it all.
As you continue notice the moments when the sky is clear,
Free of clouds and in these moments however short or long feel the stillness and spaciousness of your mind.
And then when the next cloud appears welcome it with the same ease.
Let this rhythm of observing and releasing continue cultivating a sense of calm detachment and curiosity.
As we come to the end of this meditation begin to slowly deepen your breath noticing the coolness of the inhale and the warmth of the exhale.
Sensing your body on the ground,
Noticing the sounds around you.
Now begin to wiggle your fingers and toes to slowly wake up the body.
And when you're ready you may open your eyes.
See if you can carry this sense of spaciousness with you as you move through your day.
Thank you for practicing.
