Practicing Mindfulness For The Neurodivergent Mind & Body

Think you can't meditate because your brain won't shut up? That's ok. This short, beginner-friendly mindfulness practice is for neurodivergent adults who might gag if they are told to sit still, clear their minds, and “just breathe” one more time.

Instead, we'll practice noticing what's happening in the moment thoughts, movement, distractions, and all and gently coming back.

No perfect stillness. No empty mind. No fixing ourselves. Just a few minutes to be here with me & whatever else your brain brings along.

Transcript

If you've ever tried meditation and thought, Well, Apparently I can't do this either. You're in the right place. Maybe you've been told to clear your mind or just sit still. Maybe you were focusing on your breath, But somehow wound up thinking about an email you forgot to send three months ago. That's okay. We're going to practice something different. This isn't about making your brain and body behave. You're not going to have to silence your thoughts or stop moving your body. We're not necessarily aiming for calm. And there is no such thing as doing this correctly. I am Sarah Russell, And this is Mindfulness Practice for the Neurodivergent Mind. So, For the next few minutes, We're going to give your attention somewhere gentle to land. That's it. Find a position that feels reasonably comfortable. It doesn't have to be perfect, Just good enough. You can sit. You can lie down. You can keep your eyes open or you can close them. You can pace and fidget if that's what feels good right now. Please change positions whenever you need to. Take a comfortable breath in. And let it out. You don't need to make your breath particularly deep. Just notice that you're breathing. And now, Notice where your brain is. Maybe it's kind of quiet. Maybe it's super duper busy. Maybe you're thinking about something that happened today. Maybe you're planning tomorrow. Maybe you've already gotten distracted, And if you have, That's okay. You haven't failed at meditation. In fact, You're just finding the part of the practice that matters. The noticing. The coming back. You've noticed that your attention wandered, And now you get to choose where it goes next. You can bring it back to the sound of my voice. You can bring it back to your breathing. Back to the feeling of whatever is holding onto your body. Back to the room around you. Your attention might wander again, And that's okay. We're not trying to hold your attention in one place. We're practicing coming back. Again and again and again. Maybe your thoughts are loud today. Maybe your body just wants to move. Maybe you're tired, Overstimulated. We aren't going to make any of that disappear. For these few minutes, You can simply notice. This is what is happening right now. Without needing to fix it or judge it. Take another comfortable breath. Notice the surface underneath you. Notice the temperature of the air around you. Notice the sounds, The smells. And if your mind wanders, Notice that too. Not immediately. There's nothing to get rid of. There's nothing to get right. You're not solving a puzzle. Take one more comfortable breath. And remind yourself. You don't have to clear your mind. You don't have to sit perfectly still. You don't have to perform calm. You can simply be here. Breathing. Thank you. Moving. Noticing. And returning. That's enough, I promise. When you're ready, Gently bring your attention back to the space around you. Wiggle your fingers and your toes so the blood comes back to your extremities. Take your time. And remember. Your brain doesn't have to cooperate for this practice to work. You just have to give yourself permission to be here with all of it. Thank you for being here.