Just notice and name.
Simply being more aware of our inner experiences can help us to step back from difficult thoughts and feelings and be less hooked by them.
We can do this by a process of noticing and naming or labelling our experiences.
Each time we use a soft label it acts like a kind of anchor back to the present moment,
Helping us to come back to mindfulness when the mind has wandered.
And also helping to create a wider perspective.
Being aware that we are involved in the process of thinking or feeling can help us to recognise when we are falling into certain mental patterns and habits,
And may create a little space to help us choose how to respond in line with what matters most in our lives.
Let's take a few moments to settle into a sitting posture.
Becoming aware of the body sitting.
Feeling the weight of gravity.
Our seat on the chair.
The feet on the ground.
Making whatever adjustments you need to,
To just be a little more comfortable and at the same time a little more alert,
Straight and centred.
Closing your eyes or looking down towards the ground.
As the body settles into stillness,
Becoming aware of your breathing.
Choosing one area of the body to become the anchor.
The place to return to in the body where we can be aware of the physical sensations of each breath.
It might be in the tummy,
The nose,
The throat,
The back or an awareness of the whole body gently rocking with each breath.
Sometimes it can help to slightly lengthen the out-breath,
Helping us to really connect with the physical sensation of each breath.
And we can attach a very gentle label to each in-breath and out-breath.
So very lightly at the start of the in-breath we can say,
In.
At the beginning of the next out-breath we can say,
Out.
This process of attaching a label is very light so that we are still focusing our attention on the physical sensation of each breath.
The movement of the body or the sensations in the abdomen as our belly rises and falls.
The feeling of expansion of the chest.
Being aware of the movement of air and the changing temperature of each breath at the tip of the nose.
Gentle pressure of the back expanding and gently rocking the body with each breath.
And with each breath we drop in a mental label,
Breathing in and breathing out.
It won't be long before you notice that your attention has wandered away as your mind gets distracted by a particular thought or sensation.
Or a discomfort,
A memory or perhaps a sound.
And whenever that happens I'll invite you to just softly add a mental label to wherever you've noticed the mind has wandered to.
It could be a general label like thinking,
Feeling,
Hearing.
Or you might be more specific,
Planning,
Remembering,
Worrying.
And once you've labelled the distraction then just letting go of whatever it is and bringing your curiosity and attention back to the sensations of breathing.
What does it feel like to be me here today breathing?
And perhaps coming back to labelling each breath.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Or you may prefer to drop using these labels if you find they're getting in the way of your awareness of the breath.
Perhaps the distraction is a feeling or an emotion.
Feeling anxious or guilt,
Embarrassed,
Hurt.
Maybe there's a physical sensation.
Tightness,
Tension,
Pain,
Hunger.
Perhaps noticing where your attention is being drawn to.
Perhaps it's an urge to do something.
Wanting,
Craving.
And acknowledging and labelling whatever has arisen in your experience with kindness and without judgement.
Not trying to push it away.
Perhaps we need to sit with this experience for a short while.
Holding it lightly and kindly without getting overly hooked or drawn into it.
And when we're able to,
Gently returning to the sensations of each breath.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Until our minds get distracted once more.
No matter if it's a hundred times.
Just labelling each new experience as it arises.
Thinking,
Planning,
Worrying.
A simple,
Soft label.
Then let it be and come back to the breath with patience and curiosity.
As though the next in-breath or out-breath is your very first one.
Breathing in and breathing out.
What's going on for you right now?
Where's your mind?
Just gently and lightly giving a label and coming back to the ever-present breath.
When I breathe in,
I know that I'm breathing in.
When I breathe out,
I know that I'm breathing out.
When my mind wanders,
I know my mind has wandered.
And I know where it is wandering to.
That's the practice of being aware from moment to moment,
Without judgement.
