Mindful Thinking - Contemplative Meditation

This peaceful contemplative meditation led by Dr. Sayiba Aiko is an exquisite mindfulness practice in stillness, allowing you to connect with your breath, listen to nature, and observe and reframe your thoughts. In this contemplative meditation we begin with a quote by Lucy Mallory. Then we engage in diaphragmatic breathing and are led on a guided meditation, inviting more curiosity, awareness, and insight. Soothing music is incorporated to invoke peace, relieve stress, and aid anxiety.

Transcript

Hello,

I am Dr.

Sayiba Aiko,

And I will be your contemplative meditation guide for the next 15 minutes.

During this time,

I invite you to become comfortable,

Still.

We'll begin today's meditation with a quote.

I'll lead you in breath work,

And we'll go on a guided meditation journey,

And I'll leave you with an affirmation.

So let's begin.

Today's quote is from Lucy Mallory.

Every thought a person dwells upon,

Whether he expresses it or not,

Either damages or improves his life.

Take a deep breath and allow those words to sit with you.

I'll read them twice more.

Every thought a person dwells upon,

Whether he expresses it or not,

Either damages or improves his life.

Taking in another deep breath,

Allowing those words to sit with you.

What arises for you when you hear those words?

I'll read once more.

Every thought a person dwells upon,

Whether he expresses it or not,

Either damages or improves his life.

Hmm.

When I sit with those words,

I'm reminded of how powerful my thoughts really are,

And they needn't be expressed.

They still have power.

Before I was aware that I created my own reality,

I was blaming everyone else for the damage in my life.

Once I became aware of this idea that my thoughts created my reality,

I began to lean into all the uncomfortable,

Fearful places in my life and change my thinking one misaligned thought at a time.

I began to become curious about those thoughts.

I looked at when the thoughts started and what beliefs made me come to those faulty conclusions.

I released old conditioned beliefs and began to subscribe to new beliefs that felt good and were aligned with who and where I desire to be in life.

So in this time,

I invite you to either close your eyes or lower your gaze,

Whatever feels comfortable for you.

And then I invite you to place one hand on your heart and one hand on your lower abdomen below your belly button.

And we're going to engage in diaphragmatic breathing or soft belly breathing.

So breathing in slowly at your own pace through your nose,

Allowing your belly to fill up and then exhaling out of your mouth at a pace that is slow and feels good for you.

Taking your time with that breath on each inhale,

Really feeling your stomach expand.

So your hand that is on your abdomen will protrude.

And then as you exhale,

Your stomach will contract and continue that breathing and simply become aware of what is happening in your body as you are slowing your breathing down and connecting to your breath.

And now I'm going to lead us on a journey of examining our thoughts.

Might we become more mindful of our thinking on a daily basis?

And what does it look like to examine our thoughts,

To engage in mindful thinking?

Continuing with your breath,

I invite you to simply feel the ground beneath you.

So maybe your feet are on the floor or maybe you're seated on the floor.

Simply become aware as you're breathing with your eyes closed or gaze lowered what it feels like,

What parts of your body are touching the ground or the chair,

Sofa or grass,

Wherever you are,

Simply notice what it feels like to be touching the floor,

The ground beneath you.

What parts of your body are resting on the floor or the chair?

Observe how that contact feels for you,

The floor meeting you where you are,

The earth holding you.

Notice your trust in the chair or the sofa or the ground beneath you.

How does that feel?

And if you've lost track of your breathing,

I invite you to return to your breath as you are observing how your body feels touching the earth,

The earth meeting you where you are.

And as you are breathing and noticing this,

If thoughts begin to arise,

Simply notice them without judgment.

Notice what thoughts surface for you.

We can only change what we are aware of.

So notice those thoughts.

Notice if those thoughts improve your life,

Meaning they give you a good feeling or a sensation of expansion on the inside.

Or if the thoughts that arise damage your life in any way,

So meaning they could cause you to feel not so great or feel constricted in any way in any area of your body.

Maybe it causes your throat to feel constricted or your chest.

Simply notice what's happening in your body as certain thoughts begin to arise as you are sitting with your breath.

Does your body feel expansive or contracted?

Your body will let you know if you are unsure whether the thought is damaging or improving to your well-being.

Continuing to breathe slowly and deeply,

Noticing how your body feels with each new breath.

And then I'd like you to choose one thought that may have arisen that is damaging.

Just one.

Whatever that thought may be.

Maybe it's a thought that comes up for you often.

I'll share one of my thoughts in a moment.

And become curious about that thought.

How often does this thought come up throughout your day?

Is it something that you think repeatedly when you have interchanges with people?

Is it something that comes up when you're alone?

Really become curious about this damaging thought that is not improving your well-being,

That causes you to feel constricted.

Where did this thought come from?

Is it rooted in love or fear?

So for me,

A thought that used to arise often was,

You can't do that.

I would always hear that when I would consider doing a brave thing or just trying something new,

Stepping out of my comfort zone.

The thought would always arise in my head,

You can't do that.

And so I began to question that thought.

And that is what I am inviting you to do.

Whatever your thought is,

Simply question it.

Become curious.

Where did that come from?

Is it rooted in fear or love?

So right away for me,

I knew that thought was rooted in fear.

And I knew exactly where it came from.

It was a belief that I had,

I held about myself,

That I heard from a man when I was a little girl.

He said to me,

You're stupid.

And that stuck with me.

So whenever things came up in my head,

I believe that.

I'm stupid.

I don't know enough.

And so the thought was,

You can't do.

So what is the belief and the thought surrounding your constricting belief?

Is it rooted in fear or love?

And do you still subscribe to that thought?

Do you still believe?

Is that really true for you or is it something implanted that you no longer subscribe to?

So for me,

I knew when I started to change this belief,

I didn't actually believe that.

I knew I was brilliant.

However,

When things came up,

That was the default thought.

I had accomplished many things in my life that proved I was quite intelligent.

And still I had this thought that I can't do it.

And so again,

When those thoughts came up,

Which I'm inviting you to do right now,

Sitting with whatever thought is coming up for you and really engage with that thought,

Have a dialogue with it.

Question,

Do you still subscribe to that belief?

Do you?

And if you don't,

Question,

How can you change this thought to one that improves your wellbeing?

Ask that question and sit with it.

Listen to what comes up for you.

Continuing to breathe deeply.

So for me,

What came up was an affirmation practice that I started that helped me really rid myself of these beliefs that were damaging,

These thoughts that were damaging and cultivate new thoughts that supported my wellbeing and helped me be all that I wanted to be,

All that I aspired to be.

And so some of the affirmations,

Which were truth and rooted in love that I began to say to myself are,

I can do anything.

I am highly capable is what I began to believe about myself.

I am enough.

I am brilliant.

I am intelligent.

So listening to what came up for you,

Speak an affirming truth to the new belief that you desire to create one that will improve your thinking and your wellbeing.

And maybe it's more than one affirming thought.

Perfect.

Say them all as they arise,

Simply honor what is coming up for you and how your mind wants to reframe those damaging thoughts.

Affirm what is true and real for you and rooted in love.

Continue to breathe deeply and affirm truth.

And when you are ready,

I invite you to take the deepest breath you have taken all day.

Coming back into your body,

Feeling the ground beneath you,

Wiggling your fingers and your toes,

Stretching your hands above your head.

And when you are ready,

You can open your eyes or raise your gaze.

Notice how you feel with truth sitting in you with a new way of thinking about yourself and your capabilities,

A reframed thought,

A mindful thought that improves your life.

Today's affirmation,

I am thinking thoughts that improve my wellbeing.

I invite you to repeat that with me three times.

I am thinking thoughts that improve my wellbeing.

Twice more.

I am thinking thoughts that improve my wellbeing.

Once more.

I am thinking thoughts that improve my wellbeing.

I invite you to be mindful,

Breathe deep often,

Contemplate ways to cultivate more positive thinking.

Thank you for meditating with me today.