Hello and welcome back to another guided meditation.
Today's focus is overthinking.
This meditation is designed to help you understand the nature of overthinking and how instead of resisting it,
As we are often taught,
We can do quite the opposite.
When you're ready,
Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position.
Gently close your eyes,
Or if you prefer,
Keep them open with a soft gaze and bring your attention to your breath.
As you inhale,
Feel the air filling your body and as you exhale,
Feel any tension begin to soften.
Allow your breath to flow naturally without trying to control it.
Just notice it.
Now let your attention move from your breath to the present moment.
Feel the space around you,
The space your body occupies,
Any sensations in your body and any sounds around you.
Simply be aware of whatever is happening right now without trying to change anything.
As we sit here,
Thoughts will inevitably arise.
Notice them as they come.
Do not follow them or cling on to them.
Simply observe them without judgment or analysis.
Imagine that thoughts are like leaves on a windy day.
You don't have to reach out and catch them.
They will come and go on their own.
Every time a thought arises,
Just acknowledge it.
Watch it with a sense of curiosity.
Let it come and let it go.
When overthinking happens,
It can feel like a constant stream of thoughts.
Thoughts about what might happen,
What needs to be done,
What could go wrong or what may be uncertain,
But rather than trying to wish them away or stop them,
Can you simply observe them without reacting?
See that overthinking is just a chain of thoughts,
One leading to the next.
Because in the present moment,
You don't need to do anything about thoughts.
You only need to notice how they arise,
How they disappear,
How they move on their own.
Now turn your attention to the space between your thoughts.
After a thought leaves,
There's a brief moment of stillness,
A moment where there is no thinking.
In this space,
There is clarity and quiet.
Can you notice this?
Let your awareness rest in this space,
Even if it's just for a very brief moment.
It's in this space,
This gap between thoughts,
That you are free from the cycle of overthinking.
This space between thoughts is always there.
Thoughts come and go within this space.
Imagine dropping a stone into water.
The water is always there,
It doesn't go anywhere,
And the stone moves through it.
Often,
Overthinking happens when we try to control outcomes or fear what might happen.
Notice how thoughts arise from this sense of control,
This need to control.
But can you,
For a moment,
Let go of this need to control everything?
Can you trust that things will unfold as they will,
And allow yourself to be open to whatever arises in the present moment?
There's no need to predict or plan in this space of stillness.
As we near the end of this meditation,
Gently bring your attention back to the present.
Feel the ground beneath you,
The air around you,
The breath moving through your body.
Remember,
You don't need to chase or engage with every thought.
You can simply observe them and return to the quiet space that's always between them.
Allow yourself to return to this space whenever overthinking arises in your day-to-day life.
This space between thoughts is something sacred,
Is something still,
Pure,
Completely untouched by thought.
It is stronger than thought.
When you're ready,
Take one final deep breath in,
And as you exhale,
Gently open your eyes.
Bring in this quiet awareness with you into the rest of your day.
Thank you for listening.
Have a wonderful day,
And until next time,
Stay present.
