Hi,
I am Jan Mauler and welcome to this mindfulness exercise called Freedom from Overthinking Sit in a comfortable position with both feet on the floor and your back in a straight position.
Take a deep breath and as you exhale slowly close your eyes.
In this exercise you will learn to observe your own thoughts.
While we are awake the mind always produces thoughts.
We are always thinking about something.
To think is our mind's nature.
Sometimes we have particular thoughts that seem to control us.
Thoughts of worry or sadness or anguish or anger and it sometimes feels as if they are exerting a power over us.
We often consider these thoughts as if they were real events.
But when we learn to observe them little by little we will realize that they are simply thoughts,
Nothing more.
Through practicing this exercise you will discover and experience precisely this,
That thoughts are not facts or truths but simply thoughts.
When our mind produces thoughts such as I'm not very good at this and we repeat them very often they easily become a belief.
We start believing that these thoughts represent real events or an objective truth but that is not the reality.
When we learn to observe our thoughts as they appear each moment with the kind curiosity,
Accepting them without necessarily liking them,
Only accepting the fact that they are there,
Although they are painful or uncomfortable,
The simple fact of observing them with the attitude of acceptance helps us to discover that a thought is not a fact or a truth.
To begin the exercise just slowly become aware of your breathing.
You observe the in-breath and the out-breath happening with no interference or control on your part.
Now gently move your attention from your breath to your thoughts.
Allow yourself to become aware of any thoughts that are occurring in this moment and accept them without any judgment.
If you find it difficult to observe your thoughts then observe just that.
If you are thinking I'm not doing it right then that is also a thought you can observe and accept.
Now give yourself permission to think about some issue or situation that is currently occurring in your life.
It can be something positive or it can be something unpleasant.
Simply allow your mind to think about the issue or situation.
Notice the thoughts as they come.
Maybe you can observe that the moment you notice a thought it is immediately replaced by another.
Just observe how in an instant you have a thought and in the next moment you have another.
It can be helpful to imagine that thoughts are like clouds in the sky.
Each thought is a passing cloud,
One cloud after the other appearing,
Passing and disappearing to be replaced by another.
If you patiently practice this exercise little by little you will be able to see everything more clearly.
That a thought comes and goes and being replaced by another and so on.
You will also be able to realize when you start identifying with some thought and get confused,
Believing that what you are thinking is a real fact.
This happens many times with thoughts that you have been thinking for a long time,
Perhaps for years.
They are often painful or distressing thoughts.
Maybe it is like this for you?
When we train this new consciousness,
This ability to become aware of a thought and allowing and accepting it,
Then our relationship with these thoughts changes.
They don't control us like before.
Because now we know they are nothing more than thoughts that we are having at this moment,
No more,
No less.
Practice your breath again,
The flow of air moving in and out of your body just by itself.
For the next three minutes you will practice observing your thoughts.
It may be that you want to think about some particular matter,
Or it may be that you simply let your mind flow freely.
And remember with an attitude of kindness to yourself,
Without pressure,
Without effort,
With a friendly curiosity,
Without judgment.
From time to time you will hear the sound of the gong to help you maintain the position of the observer.
Very good.
Observe your body sitting.
Observe your body breathing.
Observe your mind thinking.
And we shall end the exercise now.
Just take a deep breath.
And when you exhale,
Just open your eyes.
And be thankful to yourself for having completed this exercise.
