Welcome to day 18.
By now you may be noticing some changes in your mental awareness,
In your daily life,
Or maybe you're noticing no changes at all.
Just know that this is all perfect and that you're exactly where you need to be.
Today's guided meditation is a reminder of the importance of a daily practice.
Whether we can sit for five minutes,
15 minutes,
Or even five seconds.
Having this sense of mindfulness,
Having this moment to pause,
Can make a world of difference.
And in this exercise,
I will remind you that the fruits of the mindfulness practice are well worth the hard work and disciplined effort.
This is effort that you have built over the last few weeks.
So please keep in mind that the power of mindfulness develops with disciplined practice.
It means we may feel bored,
Tired,
And even annoyed at times.
As you listen to the guided meditations and mindfulness exercises over and over again,
Day by day,
And month after month.
So when you're ready,
Finding yourself in a comfortable seated posture,
Allowing the eyes to close,
Bringing the awareness to your breath.
Remember that mindfulness isn't about liking the present moment.
It's not necessarily about feeling good,
Pleasant,
Or even comfortable.
It means paying attention to your experience without judgment.
This may mean that you experience doubt that mindfulness even works.
This is normal and understandable.
The mind typically reacts to uncomfortable practices that take discipline.
You may feel a sense of agitation,
Annoyance,
Or aversion.
Sometimes the practices that people have the most resistance to turn out to be the most effective and powerful for them.
So boredom,
Impatience,
Or frustration need not be a problem at all.
They are simply passing mind states that come and go.
Like any and all mind states,
Such as anxiety,
Sadness,
Gratitude,
Joy.
So every time you listen to these exercises,
Whether you're at the doctor's office,
At home,
Or out on a walk,
You may find that you are hearing new things,
Things you think you've never heard before,
Even though they've been there from the beginning.
If something you hear during these teachings,
These recordings,
These mindfulness practices,
If something catches your ear,
Please try to listen to it again,
Maybe even repeating it to yourself seven times to make sure that you absorb it into your heart,
Into your bones,
Reinforcing the teachings,
Concepts,
So that you can integrate them into your daily life,
Improving your chances of enjoying the practice,
Because you feel the benefits outweighing the hard work and effort.
Allow yourself to be present in times of discomfort.
And since we are never the same from day to day,
What you hear and understand may not be either.
All these practices are different doors into the same room.
Mindfulness,
Allowing yourself this moment to notice any shifts,
Any changes,
Remembering that this practice is much like exercise.
The more we do it,
The easier it becomes.
Some days it may be more challenging.
Some days we may be having to drag ourselves out of bed to sit,
To breathe.
Seeing yourself for making,
For taking this time to work towards your highest good.
If you have more time to sit here,
Please do so.
If the body,
The mind,
The schedule is needing you to move on,
Starting to wiggle the fingers,
The toes,
Allowing yourself to come back to this present moment.
I thank you for sitting with me,
For listening to these recordings,
Wishing you a beautiful rest of your day.
Rest easy,
My friend.
