Learn Mindfulness Day 5: Freeing The Mind

Today, you’ll learn the practice of choiceless awareness. This practice is about allowing our mind to wander off a little to see where it goes rather than constantly trying to keep it in check by returning to our breath. This practice is a great way to take the rigidity out of meditation and bring a little curiosity and playfulness to it.

You’ll also learn a really simple and effective mindful practice that you can use with unhelpful thoughts when you’re out and about in daily life.

Transcript

So take a nice deep breath in,

Breathing out and gently close your eyes,

Allow your body to settle into the surface you're sitting on,

Letting go of your day,

Letting go of your expectations of this meditation,

Of how you'll do,

Really letting go of everything.

This is your time to give yourself some positive energy,

Relax a little bit and find a little inner stillness.

And today you're going to focus on your breathing down at your belly.

As our belly is physically further away from that busy mind.

So getting a sense of your belly rising and falling as you breathe in and out,

Really feeling that stretch as you breathe in.

And you can accentuate your breath a little,

If that helps to notice it,

Taking a slightly deeper breath.

And you can also breathe as you normally would.

So go with whatever your body tells you.

Relaxing your shoulders,

Your face,

Your arms,

Your legs,

Your wrists,

Your whole body.

And continue to focus on your belly,

Rising and falling with each in-breath and each out-breath.

And if your mind has wandered off into thinking,

Rather than returning to your breathing,

Allow your mind to wander wherever it wants to.

And also allow anything else to come into your awareness.

So if you notice sounds,

A particular body sensation,

Or your mind is drawn to your breathing,

Just allow your mind to go there.

Dancing between whatever arises moment by moment.

And there's no success or failure here.

And if thoughts come in,

Wondering what you're supposed to be doing,

And if you're doing it right,

Become aware of those thoughts.

Is there another object in your awareness?

And if you get really lost,

You can always return to a sense of your breathing,

Down at your belly.

Once again,

Feeling it rising and falling.

And if you want to,

Continue to allow your mind to wander.

All the while,

Bringing a bit of curiosity and playfulness into this practice.

Now,

As we gently end this meditation,

Notice where your mind is right now.

Let go of judging yourself.

If you've got completely lost and carried away by the thought stream,

This is all normal.

It's what our minds like to do.

And you can take a deep breath in.

Breathing out.

And gently open your eyes.