Hello and welcome.
My name is Mark Rowland,
And thank you so much for joining me today.
In this session,
We're going to gently explore something many people experience,
But they don't often speak about it openly.
Intrusive thoughts.
This is a completely safe space.
Nothing you think makes you broken.
Nothing you think makes you dangerous.
And nothing you think defines who you are.
So for the next little while,
We'll explore what intrusive thoughts are,
Why they happen,
And most importantly,
How to soften your relationship with them.
So,
Begin by settling yourself somewhere nice and comfortable.
You may be sitting upright or lying down.
Allow the body to arrive first.
Let the shoulders drop.
Let the jaw soften.
And let the hands rest,
Easily.
And take one slow,
Steady breath in through the nose.
And a slow breath out through the mouth.
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted mental events.
They can be images,
Impulses,
Words,
Fears or scenarios.
Often they are repetitive,
Sometimes even shocking,
And sometimes completely opposite to what your values are.
And that is important.
The fact that a thought disturbs you is usually a sign that it does not reflect who you truly are.
The human brain is a prediction machine.
It constantly scans for danger.
It likes to generate what-if scenarios.
And it rehearses the worst possible case outcomes.
This is a system that evolved to keep us alive.
But sometimes it becomes overactive.
And instead of helpful problem-solving,
It can produce looping,
Sticky thoughts that feel really urgent or frighteningly threatening.
The difficulty is not usually the thought itself,
Though.
It is the meaning to which we tend to attach to it.
If a thought appears and we interpret it as important,
Dangerous,
Or maybe revealing something about us,
Our nervous system activates.
And once it's activated,
Our brain is saying,
This must matter.
So it sends it again.
And again.
And again.
But not because it's true,
But because it thinks it's protecting you.
Notice the compassion in that.
Even intrusive thoughts are often a misguided attempt at safety.
Take a slow breath now.
As we gently shift into practice.
Allow your breathing to become natural.
There is not a need to control it.
Simply notice the sensation of air entering the body.
And leaving the body.
If a thought appears,
And it will,
Just notice.
Thinking.
You do not need to analyse it.
Argue with it.
Push it away.
Or try to fix it.
Just acknowledge its presence.
Like noticing a far off sound in the distance.
If you find a particularly intrusive thought appears during this meditation,
Try something different.
Instead of resisting it,
Allow it to sit in awareness for a moment.
Seeing if you can observe it as a mental event.
Where does it feel located?
Does it manifest as words?
An image?
Maybe a sensation in your body?
Just stay curious and then gently shift attention back to the breath.
Not aggressively.
Just like guiding a child by the hand.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
And if the thought returns,
Repeat the same process.
Notice.
Allow it.
Then return.
Each return strengthens something steady within you.
Not the absence of thought,
But the ability to co-exist with thought.
Without being consumed by it.
You may notice space beginning to form.
Thought and awareness of thought.
They are not the same.
You are the awareness.
Rest there for a few breaths now.
If you find yourself pulled into a storyline,
That's okay.
It's just what human minds do.
Just simply come back again.
Breath.
Body.
Here.
Now bring attention gently to the body.
Feeling the weight of your body supported.
Noticing the contact points beneath you.
The ground.
The chair.
Or the bed.
Intrusive thoughts often feel powerful because they can pull attention upward into our head.
So we deliberately anchor downward.
Down into gravity.
Into physical sensation.
You might like to gently press your feet into the floor.
Or maybe wiggle your fingers slightly.
Remind the nervous system.
I am here.
I am safe in this moment.
Take another slow breath.
If a thought arises now.
Imagine placing it on a leaf.
Floating down a stream.
You are not throwing it away.
But you are not holding it tightly.
You are allowing it to move.
Some leaves float quickly.
Some may get caught for a moment.
But eventually they all will drift on.
Rest here in grounded awareness.
Before we finish.
I want you to hear this clearly.
Having intrusive thoughts does not make you your thoughts.
You are not your mental noise.
You are not your fears.
You are not the images that flash through awareness.
You my friend are the one who notices them.
If intrusive thoughts are persistent or distressing in daily life.
It can be very helpful to speak to a qualified therapist or GP.
Reaching out for support is a sign of strength.
Not weakness.
For now.
Take one final slow breath in.
And a long flowing breath out.
Beginning to gently deepen your breathing now.
Start to bring movement back by maybe wiggling the fingers and toes.
Gently rolling at the shoulders.
And notice the room around you.
Feel the temperature of the air surrounding you.
And the sounds nearby.
And when you are ready.
Slowly open up your eyes.
And take your time before moving on with the rest of your day.
Thank you so much for joining me today and practicing.
Have a beautiful rest of your day.
Go in peace.
Namaste.
