In this meditation,
We'll learn how to use the technique of mental noting as an aid to develop presence and stillness in our meditation practice.
You may have practiced counting before.
This is a similar technique,
Using a few simple words as an aid to cultivating a more deeply focused attention.
It involves just gently recognizing whatever's present and giving it a simple name.
For example,
When we notice a thought arises,
Gently noting thinking.
There's no need to worry exactly about what the label might be,
Just using the word that feels appropriate at that time.
So to begin,
Finding a comfortable and alert posture,
You might like to gently close the eyes.
Beginning by taking one or two deeper out breaths,
Letting something go.
Beginning to settle into their present moment.
We can gently scan through the body and notice if there's any places that can be softened or relaxed.
Noticing the face,
The jaw,
Allowing the shoulders to perhaps drop.
Noticing where your hand is resting.
Perhaps checking your weight is resting fully on the chair or the cushion beneath you.
And beginning to bring your attention to the breath moving in the air,
Allowing your breath to be natural,
Relaxed.
We can gently note the breath.
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Or perhaps simply in,
Out,
In,
Out.
You could also use a word such as rising,
Falling,
As the belly rises and falls with each breath.
Just allowing the phrases to fall lightly in the awareness.
Gently noting them to each in breath and each out breath.
We can use our noting practice to gather all that mental energy that loves to disperse into thinking about our projects,
The future,
The past.
Gathering that energy and just placing it lightly on the task of meditation.
Letting it be a friend,
A helpmate,
An ally that can gently recognise what we're doing now.
Recognising the breath in and out.
If we notice we become lost in thinking we can gently note that too.
Thinking.
Or if our awareness becomes poured into a physical sensation or a particular emotion we can just gently note that too.
A tingling in my knee or sadness.
Just gently placing a label on whatever arises.
Whenever you're not sure where to put the attention just come back to the breath.
Keeping our noting very simple we don't need to over think what word we use.
The word Sommelion aim an aid to help us enter more deeply into the experience of what is here now in our own body,
In our own mind.
We're allowing our mental noting to draw us ever more deeply into the experience of breathing.
Into the experience of this moment,
This body.
There will be many moments when our attention wanders away from the breath into thoughts or bodily sensations or sounds around us.
We don't need to resist these movements,
Just simply note in where our attention is and then gently return into the next breath.
Breathing in to gently note in,
Out with each breath.
Even if we become lost in thought for quite a long time we simply begin again with patience and a clear intention to be present.
Notice in how you note the breath.
Seeing if you can bring a gentle calm tone of voice in the way that you note the breath and the other sensations and thoughts arising.
Even if you can only be aware of one or two breaths before your mind begins to wander,
That's wonderful.
You're still learning to cultivate the clarity and sensitivity of minds,
That's the cornerstone of our mindfulness practice.
The important thing is to begin to grow slowly your own capacity,
Whatever that might be.
Rest in that what's significant in meditation is the quality of attention we give,
The whole-heartedness of our intention.
Being attentive to our breathing is a powerful reminder to be present for our life in a wakeful and sensitive way.
So as we come to the end of this meditation just slowly noticing what's going on in your body and your mind.
If there's any feeling of calmness or settledness just noticing and appreciating that.
And if we still feel agitated or some other emotion knowing that that's okay too.
And that simply by recognising that and working with that we're bringing a powerful quality of awareness into our lives.
From that place of knowing we have a choice about how to live our lives,
How to take care of this body and this mind.
When you're ready you can gently open your eyes and continue in the next few moments of your day with a gentle mindfulness.
Thank you for sharing this practice with me.
