Today we're going to talk about a way to learn to step back from your thoughts instead of getting caught up in them.
Take a moment to find a comfortable seat or lie down.
Let your body settle.
Allow your eyes to close gently if that feels safe and bring your attention to your breath.
Notice a gentle rise and fall in your chest.
The steady rhythm of air moving in and out.
Now begin to picture the open sky above you.
Vast,
Wide,
And endless.
In this sky you'll see a small airplane moving slowly across the sky.
Behind it trails a long white banner.
On this banner you notice a thought written out.
It might be a thought you're carrying today or one that just showed up.
It could be helpful,
Unhelpful,
Big or small.
Whatever it is,
Just let it appear there on the banner.
Watch as the airplane continues to fly,
Carrying the thought gently behind it.
You don't have to pull it closer or push it away.
Simply notice.
There's a thought.
There it is written on the banner.
The plane keeps moving.
The banner drifts across the sky.
The thought is still there,
But notice it's not stuck to you.
It's something separate being carried along.
Another plane appears.
It's carrying another banner.
This one has a different thought.
Perhaps a memory,
A worry,
A judgment,
Or maybe just a random phrase.
Whatever shows up,
It's okay.
Watch it float by.
Plane after plane comes through,
Each carrying a banner,
Each displaying a thought.
Some are big,
Bold,
And heavy.
Others are light,
Silly,
Or fleeting.
Just notice them.
Watch them pass.
You don't need to climb into the plane.
You don't need to grab the banner.
Your job is simply to observe.
The sky is big enough for all the planes and all the banners to pass through.
As you sit here breathing,
Remind yourself gently,
I'm not the banners.
I'm not the planes.
I'm the sky,
Open and steady,
Through which all these thoughts move.
Take a few moments now,
Simply breathing,
Watching thoughts drift by on banners behind planes.
Some may pass quickly,
Others may linger,
And still the sky remains.
When you are ready,
Bring your attention back to your body.
Notice the support of the chair or the ground beneath you.
Feel your breath once more.
When it feels right,
Gently open your eyes,
Carrying with you the reminder,
Thoughts will come and go,
But you remain the sky that holds them.
