Meditation On Thoughts

This is a brief meditation on the arising and falling of our thoughts. We start with deep breathing to centre and calm our mind before moving the mind's eye to thought consciousness, noticing our thoughts, or generating thoughts as an observer. We then slowly step back from our thoughts and widen our field of awareness. From this expanded awareness, we notice as each thought arises and as each thought disappears back into this field of awareness.

Transcript

Please find yourself in a comfortable position. Ideally, You can be awake and aware. So that could be sitting in a chair upright, Sitting on the floor upright. You could lay down, But make sure you're in a position that's not too relaxing so that you can participate fully. The eyes can be slightly open or fully shut. You can play with that and see what's more useful to you. Let's begin. Just a few deepened breaths. So a nice deep breath in, Feel your belly expand. Long, Slow breath out. Nice deep breath in. And a long, Slow breath out. We'll try that a few more times. Nice deep breath in. Long, Slow breath out. Deep breath in. Long, Slow breath out. Good. And then just let the breath go, Please. And we'll move our mind's eye towards our thought consciousness. So, Noticing your thoughts. You may find those thoughts come as images at first, Maybe, Or you may find that you don't notice really your thoughts. You're like, I'm just here, So you're generating your own thoughts on purpose as you're talking to yourself. And that's fine. Just notice every single thing that comes into your mind. And then we'll imagine ourselves with that noticing sort of backing away from the mind. So, Stepping back slowly with your mind's eye. Widening your field of vision and noticing every time your mind has any sort of activity, Whether it's noticing the sound of my voice or a sensation in your body, Or a thought about the past or future. And each time that happens, We're going to say to ourselves, Thought. So, Let's take a few minutes in silence just doing that. Each time any sensation, Words, Images, Arises, We're just going to say thought. So many thoughts. Arising. And now we'll add to this by keeping that wide lens and noticing each thought as it arises, Which is what we've been doing, But then also noticing as it dissipates. So as you feel something in your body or maybe a thought occurs to you, You say to yourself, Thought arising. And as that thought dissipates, Leaves you, Say thought ending. So, Thought arising, Thought ending. And in this way, We watch the thoughts arise and fall. Thought arising, Thought ending. So see if you can step back and just for a few moments, Watch the thoughts come and go. Thought arising, Thought ending. Arising, Thought ending. As we do this, We're going to say, Thought ending. As we do this, We may notice it's hard sometimes to notice the thought when it first arises, Or when it's finally leaving us and that's okay. Just keep noticing all the thoughts and vrittis moving through your mind, Arising and ending. As we do this, We may notice it's hard sometimes to notice the thought when it first arises, Or when it's finally leaving us and that's okay. Good. And then let's let that go for a moment. And widen our view even more. So stepping even further back and picturing the field of your mind. So imagine yourself looking. Your mind is a field. And imagine all the thoughts arising and falling and now that you've noticed how many there are, You can imagine them as little almost like popcorn popping up and then falling down. Let's just sit for a few moments watching the thoughts again but with even a wider view, No need to label them, Just simply watch them. We are the watcher of the thoughts. And we are also the thoughts themselves. Bring your attention back to your breath and take a few deepened breaths into your abdomen. Put your palms together in front of your heart, Bow your head to your heart. And after you, Peace.