Letting The Mind Settle

This meditation is an invitation to practice presence without judgment. When we are nearing the end of the year (or any month really), sometimes our schedules and lives can be hectic. This is a simple guided practice to help give the mind and yourself a break! We also do some lovingkindness phrases as well to help bring in some good natured energy. This is a good practice to try if your mind feels especially rushed or restless. It can take time to find more ease when we are faced with juggling many aspects of life so it’s all the more reason to allow yourself this invitation to let the mind settle.

Music: Tranquil Horizons by TazDev_music

Transcript

Hi everyone,

This is Stephanie Boxerbaum.

Thank you so much for meditating with me today.

For today's practice,

We're going to be doing a letting your mind settle practice.

Have you ever felt so many thoughts rushing through your mind?

Just whatever it could be.

Maybe it's work-related,

Maybe it's relationship-related,

Maybe it's your to-do list.

Especially at this time of the year,

Oftentimes we just have many,

Many things that are on our list.

And this practice is really just allowing yourself to be with your present moment experience and finding some ease in the body.

This is not a place where you're trying to judge your thoughts,

You're trying to judge yourself.

It's really kind of thinking of it in this way.

How often do you have any time during your day just to come to a quiet place and allow yourself to breathe,

To check in,

And to just let the mind settle?

We're often so caught in doing mode.

We have to do this,

We need to get here,

We have to make this list,

We need to do that.

And that's great.

Like this isn't about now that you shouldn't be productive and you need to stop everything.

It's more just how we can use our meditation practice to help us in our lives,

Allowing ourselves to do all the things and also carve out that time to just sit for a bit.

So with that in mind,

Finding a very supported seat,

Or if the mind is feeling a little bit restless doing a walking meditation today,

If we're going to take the time for ourselves,

We want to be able to really do what works for us.

So I encourage you to lay down if that feels better.

I encourage you to do mindful walking if that's what you need right now.

And coming to that comfortable position,

Beginning to gently closing your eyes,

Taking a deep breath in and a gentle breath out.

And doing that once more deep breath in and a gentle deep breath out.

And can you allow your body some present moment attention here.

Checking in with whether you feel any tension,

Maybe any pulsing sensations.

Gently breathing into those places and spaces where you may need to send a little bit of kindness.

Staying connected to the breath,

Breathing in kindness and ease.

Gentle breath in,

Deep breath out.

Knowing that thoughts will appear.

And this is an invitation to just let those thoughts go by just like birds flying by.

Don't have to dive deep into the thoughts,

You don't have to dive into any story.

The idea is that we're not trying to stop ourselves from thinking,

It's just really redirecting that to this calmer grounded space of the breath.

And if the breath isn't really what's grounding you today,

Using maybe some supportive touch,

Maybe you want to put your hands together,

Maybe gently holding your hands and just putting your mind's attention right where your hands are clasped together.

Just keeping your attention on that space.

Again,

Knowing that thoughts will arise and that is okay.

We don't want to judge our thoughts,

We don't need to engage in our thoughts.

Right now,

You don't have to change anything.

You can be exactly as you are right now in this moment.

So watch our time here for these next few minutes,

You'll hear some music continuing to play.

Just finding that space in the body that can act as your center.

Gently breathing in.

Deep exhale out.

Inviting yourself to find the space and place of ease.

On this next deep inhale in.

I invite you to silently think to yourself about a phrase that feels like kindness to you.

So these are these loving kindness phrases we've practiced with before.

So maybe it sounds something like,

May I treat myself with kindness today?

Or may I listen to my needs today?

Just using this moment to make this about you and what you need today.

Finding some space and ease.

And what you'll want to do is just gently repeating the phrase silently in your mind at whatever pace feels good.

So this could sound something like,

May I treat myself with kindness?

May I treat myself with kindness?

Just letting those words wash over you.

Finding the spaces that the breath can fill in.

It's okay if you forget the phrase you chose,

You can start again.

This is a place where there is no judgment.

We're just simply practicing being with our moment to moment experience.

So I'll watch our time here while the music continues to play.

And I really encourage you to pick a phrase that feels good.

As we let the mind settle,

We're bringing in that sense of steadiness,

That ease.

So picking something that really resonates with that intention.

So maybe saying the phrase to yourself one more time.

Feeling the sensations of the body,

This settled moment.

Sharing some appreciation for yourself for taking the time to do a practice today.

This time is not something that always can come so easy.

So anytime we practice,

We want to be able to feel the time.

We want to be grateful for ourselves and the time we took to do it.

Taking another long,

Deep,

Gentle inhale and a nice long exhale.

Beginning to put some sensation into your fingers and toes.

Coming into the room and your surroundings.

And as always,

I like to share that reminder that you are always enough as is.

Thank you so much for meditating with me today.

I hope to be meditating with you again soon.