This is a mindfulness exercise on mental noting.
So come to a comfortable seated position,
Either on a cushion or a chair.
Bring your feet on the ground,
Your hands either on your lap or on your knees.
Your shoulders relaxed and your spine also relaxed but straight.
Chin parallel to the floor beneath you.
And bring your eyes to a gentle close.
And begin to notice your breathing,
Your inhales and your exhales.
And gently bring your awareness to your forehead.
Notice if you're holding any tension or pressure there.
Gently ask it to relax.
Bring your attention to your jaw and your tongue.
Noticing any holding there.
And gently asking it to relax.
Coming to your shoulders,
Relax.
Your hands resting on your knees.
Your feet on the ground below you.
Relax.
Facing the sensation of relaxation across your body.
Flooding from the top of your head to the base of your feet.
And then bring your attention back to your breath.
Noticing the inhales,
Noticing the exhales.
Not trying to change them but just noticing how are they doing right now.
The length of the inhale,
The length of the exhale.
Bringing a gentle curiosity to the breath.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Just for a few minutes,
Following the breath.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
If the mind wanders someplace else,
Perhaps an itch.
Perhaps a twitch somewhere else,
A feeling of coolness,
Of warmth,
Of sweat.
That's right.
Just note it as that.
Itching,
Itching.
Cool.
Warm.
That.
Not needing to do anything about it.
Just noting it for what it is.
And then return your attention to the breath.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Breathing in.
If the mind has wandered again,
That's alright.
Maybe the mind is planning.
What are you going to do next?
Or it's remembering a past memory.
Or it's thinking about a TV show.
That's okay.
Just note it.
Planning,
Planning.
Remembering,
Remembering.
And then return your attention to your breath.
Maybe some emotions are arising.
Perhaps resistance,
Annoyance,
Disappointment,
Joy,
Love.
Wonderful.
Invite them all.
Just noting them for what they are.
Resistance,
Resistance.
Joy,
Joy.
And then bringing your attention back to your breath.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Breathing in.
If the mind has wandered,
Once again that's alright.
Just note what it's doing.
Is there an emotion attached to it?
Or is it planning?
Or is there some sort of a tightness that it's observing in the body?
Note it for what it is.
And come back to the breath.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Just as we've done since the moment we were born.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
After your next exhale,
Bring your chin to your chest,
Stretching the back of your neck.
And slowly open your eyes.
And bring awareness to the room around you.
