Relieve Anxiety & Stress Challenge: Day 9 - Soothe The Mind

In this short meditation, you will practice resting the mind.
This practice allows you to train your mind to slow down.
Before starting, bring kind awareness of your body, your sensations, and emotions.
And reflect on what positive or negative impact you have regarding this topic.
After the practice reflect: how did you feel? Did you feel any difference before and after?

Transcript

Welcome to this meditation to ease your mind.

Although you cannot always control the mind,

You can encourage it to be more at ease.

Learning to do this will help you respond rather than react to your thoughts and emotions.

This practice gives you the opportunity to train the mind to slow down when it becomes overactive and helps you practice ease and relaxation instead of perpetuating those difficult mental states.

You can sit upright or lie down for this practice.

If you are experiencing anxiety or stress in this moment,

Lying down may encourage relaxation.

Take a few deep breaths.

Inhaling.

Feel the lungs completely.

Hold the breath for just a second or two.

And exhale slowly.

As you let the breath go,

Try to empty the lungs slowly and completely.

Recognizing that you cannot control every thought that arises,

Connect with your intention to relax the mind.

If thoughts are present,

Just let them be.

Offer yourself two simple phrases of kindness toward the mind.

May my mind be at ease.

May I be at ease with my mind.

Hear each word and try to connect with your own intention to care for the mind.

When the thinking mind starts up,

Come back to the breath and the phrases.

Even if you can say only one phrase before the mind wanders,

You are still moving toward relaxation by continuing to practice.

Completing this exercise allows the eyes to open and return to the activity of daily life.

Touch the mind during the day,

Noticing when it becomes uncomfortable or agitated.

Thank you for practicing this mindfulness exercise.