Hello,
I'm Diana.
I would like to welcome you to this thought observation meditation.
And as we begin,
I'd like to invite you to find a comfortable seated position.
And please close your eyes,
If that feels comfortable for you,
Or soften your gaze.
I'd like to start with taking a deep breath in through your nose,
Hold it for a moment,
And then exhale slowly through your mouth.
Let go of any tension with that breath.
And then again,
Take a deep breath in,
Hold for a moment,
And as you exhale,
Allow yourself to release any stress or distractions.
And one more time,
Breathe in very deeply through your nose,
And hold briefly.
And as you breathe out,
Let go of anything that does not serve you right now,
At this moment.
Allow your breathing to return to its natural rhythm.
Notice how the air feels as it enters and leaves your body.
Do you notice the cold air coming in through your nose,
And how your chest expands,
And how your abdomen expands when you breathe in.
And then,
Also notice how the air,
When it leaves your nose or your mouth,
Feels warm.
And I'd like to invite you to simply allow yourself to be here,
Right now,
In this moment.
And now,
We will begin to gently turn our awareness inward.
Do you notice the sensations in your body?
Do you feel your feet grounded against the earth,
And your legs supporting you,
And your back resting against a chair,
Or on the floor.
Do you notice the weight of your hands in your leg,
And the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe.
There's no need to change anything.
Simply observe your body,
Your breath,
And the sensations that arise.
Let yourself be present with your physical self.
As you continue to breathe naturally,
Allow yourself to notice any thoughts that come and go.
Do not try to control or stop them,
Just notice them.
Observe them as if you are sitting quietly on the side of a busy road,
Watching the traffic pass by.
Some of your thoughts may be loud and demanding.
Others may be faint or fleeting.
Your thoughts may be about the past,
Or they may be about the future.
They could also be about this very moment.
Whatever thoughts arise,
Simply notice them without judgement.
And if you find your thoughts drifting away,
Gently bring your awareness back to observing your thoughts without attaching to them.
And now,
For the next few moments,
Continue to observe your thoughts.
You may label them if you like,
Such as thinking about work,
Or thinking about my plans for the evening,
Or simply thinking.
The goal of today's meditation is to not analyse them,
But to watch them as they pass without becoming involved with them.
See if you can observe your thoughts with the same detachment as if you were watching clouds move across the sky.
Each thought comes,
It lingers for a moment,
And then it slowly drifts away.
Allow each thought to come and go freely,
Without resistance or clinging.
If your mind becomes distracted by a thought or a story,
Simply notice it,
And then gently bring your focus back to observing without judgement.
At times,
Your attention may wander,
And that's completely natural.
When you notice your mind wandering,
Gently return your focus to your breath.
Feel the air entering and leaving your body.
Notice the rhythm of your breath,
Its gentle rise and fall.
Use your breath as an anchor guiding you back to the present moment whenever you feel distracted or pulled away by a thought.
Your breath is always with you,
Always present,
And it can help you come back to this space of calm observation.
And then,
Let's continue with taking a moment to focus on the space in between our thoughts.
After each thought fades,
There's a brief moment of stillness.
Observe that moment of stillness,
That space in between your thoughts.
Notice the quiet of that space.
There is no rush to fill this space with another thought.
Allow yourself to linger in the stillness.
If your mind wants to fill that space with another thought,
Simply notice that,
And then let it go.
Let the stillness be present for as long as it lasts.
Be aware of the peace that exists in that space,
The calm in between the thoughts.
As you continue to observe your thoughts,
Widen your awareness to include your entire being.
Notice how you're feeling in this moment,
Both physically and emotionally.
What is your body telling you?
Are there any sensations or emotions present?
Are there any areas of tension or discomfort?
With the same non-judgmental observation,
Simply notice what is present.
You do not need to change anything,
Just observe what is here.
And now,
As we start to bring this practice to a close,
Gently bring your awareness back to your body.
Notice the weight of your body,
On your chair or on the floor.
Become aware of the room around you.
Become aware of the sounds you hear.
Become aware of the temperature in the room,
And become aware of the feeling of the ground beneath you.
You may notice that your mind feels clearer,
Or you may notice that it's been a challenge to focus,
And that is both okay.
The goal of this meditation is not to control your thoughts,
But simply to observe them with kindness and curiosity.
And before we finish,
Take a few deep breaths in through your nose.
Inhale slowly,
Feeling your lungs fill up,
And then exhale fully,
Releasing any remaining tension.
And with each breath,
Feel yourself becoming more grounded and present.
And when you feel ready,
Gently open your eyes,
Bringing your awareness back into the room,
Taking a moment to notice how you feel.
Move your fingers a bit,
Wiggle your toes a bit,
And then take one final deep breath in,
And when you feel ready to do so,
Return to your day,
Carrying this sense of calm and awareness with you.
