This mindful moment is called Leaves on a Stream.
And it is about mindfully acknowledging our thoughts and letting them come and go.
Because mindfulness isn't about blocking out thoughts or preventing them from happening.
It's about acknowledging them,
Observing them,
Without judgment,
And releasing them rather than fixating on them.
When our thoughts go round and round in our mind,
They can become never-ending and build on each other until we feel drained by them.
So then we might try not to worry or not to ruminate.
But giving our attention and energy to trying to stop our thoughts almost guarantees that we will continue to feel plagued by them.
You may have heard the saying that what you resist persists.
So instead of trying to push your thoughts away,
I invite you to observe your thoughts like you are on the outside looking in.
Remember that you don't need to follow along if you're not comfortable,
And to take only what serves you and leave the rest behind,
Even if that means stopping the exercise completely.
So closing your eyes or just lowering the gaze to rest on a single spot in front of you,
I invite you to watch your thoughts for a moment,
Noticing what thoughts and feelings come to mind,
And seeing if you can just allow them to come along.
Now see if you can imagine leaves floating on the surface of a stream.
The leaves are floating on the surface of the stream and floating past you,
Carried away by the current.
Can you see the colors of the leaves?
The shapes?
Can you hear the gurgling or rushing of the water?
And for each thought or feeling that comes to mind,
See if you can kindly acknowledge it and then gently place it on a leaf and watch as it floats away in the stream.
I invite you to sit with that for a moment if you can,
Allowing the thoughts and feelings to come along,
Letting them take their place on a leaf and watching them float by on the stream.
Notice if you can allow those thoughts to come and go.
You don't need to respond to them,
Judge them,
Fix them.
If you catch yourself getting hooked into your thoughts or notice that your mind has wandered off,
See if you can thank your brain for doing what it does and allow yourself to come back to your image of the leaves on the stream.
You are practicing awareness and acceptance and letting go.
There's no right or wrong here.
If you're doing it,
You're doing it right.
And as and when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes and come back into the room.
Great.
Well done.
So the next time your headspace feels a bit full of thoughts or feelings,
You might choose to give that a try.
Just pause for a minute and let those thoughts come and go like leaves on a stream.
