One of the goals of a mindfulness practice is to allow us to properly accommodate boredom.
That as human selves,
We resist inactivity,
We resist silence,
We resist allowing our mind to be quiet.
So through mindfulness and meditation,
We create space to be dull,
To be open,
To be uneventful.
So we're going to spend a few minutes without much stimulation,
Focusing on something like our breath,
Or our pulse,
Or our context,
Which could be sound,
Smell,
Sight.
And as we listen and attend,
Whether it's to your breath,
Again,
Or to your pulse,
Or to sound,
Or touch,
Heat,
Cold,
Just gently repeat to yourself boredom if you start to get distracted,
Or repeat to yourself attention if you start to slip,
Or if your mind wanders and starts to become active,
Just share the word quiet.
So we'll start by sitting where we are,
Getting heavy in our seats,
Noticing our breath and our pulse as they are,
Our skin,
Bone,
And muscle,
Where they sit,
Taking stock.
And you can be all but certain that your mind will wander.
And when it does,
Just draw back by noticing boredom by saying internally the word intention or quiet,
Just to give yourself permission to be bored,
Permission that your body will want to fidget,
But trying not to fidget mentally or physically very much.
Just sitting still and being quiet.
Taking stock of your senses and allowing your pulse and breath to slow down.
Settling in.
If you find yourself drifting off to some fantasy or some anxiety,
Just take note of that,
Come back,
Say gently to yourself boredom or quiet or stillness.
Give yourself that permission to be uneventful and continue to breathe.
Boredom.
Quiet.
Stillness.
Okay.
You're okay not doing anything.
Remind yourself it's just okay to just be.
Continue to allow yourself to do absolutely nothing until the end of this meditation.
Blessings.
