Hi,
My name's Dan and here's a really short practice on self-pressure and perfectionism and simply being.
So let's try something a little different today.
Just for the next few minutes.
I don't want you to try and improve yourself.
No better breathing needed.
No better posture.
No better thoughts.
No need to have a better version of you.
Just a few minutes where Nothing.
Needs fixing.
So get yourself into a comfortable position.
Let's take a few moments just to notice our body.
Notice any areas where you might be feeling some tension.
Even noticing areas where you feel quite comfortable.
Maybe you're even noticing.
You're wondering around how long this is going to take.
And all of that is fine.
Importantly,
I'd suggest to guard some of that.
Attention and awareness onto your breath.
I'm trying to control your breathing or change your breathing in any way just.
Taking a breath.
And noticing that simple fact that we're here.
There's nothing particularly mystical about this.
You simply.
.
.
Paying attention to what's happening.
For how it's happening.
Maybe as you're sitting there you're getting distracted by sounds around you,
The car going past,
The birds,
Kids,
Thoughts.
Maybe your pet is moving around you nearby.
Maybe you're noticing some sensations in your body.
In your feet,
Or your hands,
Or your face.
Maybe you're noticing the sensations associated with breath,
The rise and fall of your chest.
The movement of air through your nose or your mouth.
Or maybe you're just noticing that you're thinking.
Recognising plans or memories.
Maybe judgements,
Little stories about yourself.
And this is where today's experiment lands.
And this is where today's experiment lands.
You don't have to follow any of them.
You recognize your thinking and you just notice it.
Then you probably notice another one appears.
And you can just notice that one too.
I'm trying to get rid of thinking.
I never try and push them away.
You don't need to climb inside them either,
You just.
.
.
Noticing.
On thinking.
And that's okay.
This is one of the simplest things that we can practice.
Being here.
Without constantly asking.
What should I do?
Is this working?
Maybe I needed to do longer today.
What do I need to fix?
What do I need to change?
Just for the next few moments,
The answer to all of those is.
.
.
Just breathing.
Hearing.
Feeling.
Awareness.
Maybe perhaps you'll notice something interesting.
You don't need to feel amazing for any of this to be worthwhile.
You don't even have to feel particularly calm.
You can be restless and just be okay with being aware of the restlessness.
You can be distracted and just.
.
.
Being okay and aware of the distraction.
That you can be tired and just be okay and aware of being tired.
The whole point to all of this is just.
.
.
Not to try and get rid of anything that we're experiencing.
It's learning that we can begin to experience something.
Without the immediate need to try and change it.
And perhaps that's another way of feeling lighter.
Not constantly carrying the responsibility of becoming someone else.
Just breathing and noticing.
Letting life happen.
Just for these final last breaths.
Giving yourself permission to be exactly where you are.
Nothing to fix or prove.
Nowhere else that you need to be.
Just one breath at a time.
Noticing it flying in.
And letting it go.
And when you're ready,
Just allowing your eyes to open.
It doesn't need to be right now.
You can continue to practice.
But when you're already opening your eyes and just.
Getting home with you die not.
As a new person,
Just as you.
Perhaps.
With a little more spice.
Or in the persons you already are.
Have an amazing rest of your day.
