As your mindfulness practice begins to include awareness of thoughts,
You may find yourself thinking that thoughts are the unwanted interruption to a good meditation.
But thinking is completely natural.
Our minds are designed to think.
Thoughts help us communicate,
Create,
Solve problems,
Write poetry,
Care for others,
And consider what matters most to us.
So in mindfulness,
We're not trying to stop thinking.
We're learning to develop a wiser relationship with our thoughts.
This becomes especially important when we're dealing with thoughts and beliefs that are negative or undermining.
There's a saying,
Thoughts make a good servant,
But a poor master.
Many of the beliefs we carry about ourselves and others can become limiting stories.
Without awareness,
We can spend years seeing our lives through these stories,
Caught in self-doubt,
Fear,
Or feelings of failure.
One of the beautiful discoveries that can happen through mindfulness is realizing I don't have to believe every thought that I have.
I'm not my thoughts.
When we become caught up in our thoughts,
We can lose touch with what's actually happening right now.
A thought about a difficult meeting tomorrow,
A conversation we had yesterday,
Or something that might happen next week can feel very real,
But it's still a thought.
Thoughts are representations of our experience.
They are not the experience itself.
And this is where mindfulness gives us another choice.
Rather than getting pulled into every thought,
We can learn to notice it.
So today,
We'll practice naming the process of thinking.
You might simply say to yourself,
Thinking,
Thinking.
Or when it's helpful,
Name the type of thought.
Worrying.
Planning.
Remembering,
Imagining,
Or judging.
Naming a thought creates a little space around it.
It might help us recognize,
Oh,
This is a thought.
Like a cloud moving through the sky,
We can notice it without needing to chase it or push it away.
With practice,
We begin to see that thoughts can be present without becoming the whole truth.
And as we recognize and name the patterns that keep us stuck,
They can begin to loosen their grip.
We can return to the present moment and develop a more balanced and wise relationship with whatever thoughts arise.
So let's get into our practice today.
Finding a comfortable seated position.
That allows your body to settle and your mind to become at ease.
Take a few full,
Deep breaths.
And then settle into the natural rhythm of your breath.
Bringing a relaxed and focused attention to your primary anchor,
To the breath or the sensations in the body.
When a thought arises,
Let your attention be to recognize it and gently name it with a light mental whisper.
You could simply be thinking,
Thinking.
Or sometimes it can be helpful to be more specific,
Worrying.
Planning.
Remembering.
Or fantasizing.
After naming the thought,
It may dissolve on its own.
And when it does,
Simply notice what's here,
The sounds around you,
The sensations in your body,
And gently return to your anchor.
Take your time coming back to the breath or body,
Feeling your presence in this moment.
Continue in this way,
Resting with your primary anchor of the breath or body,
Noticing thoughts and gently returning.
When you realize you're thinking,
This is actually a moment of awareness.
See if you can meet that moment with appreciation and curiosity rather than judgment.
As you notice the thought.
And come out of it,
You may sense a softening,
A little more space in your awareness.
You may notice the sounds around you,
The liveness of your body,
Or the sensations of your breath.
As you awaken from a thought,
Notice the difference between the world created by your thoughts and the vividness of what's actually happening right now.
Stay with your anchor of breath or body,
Receiving whatever is here with a kind attention.
As thoughts arise,
Imagine them like clouds moving through the sky of your awareness.
These thoughts or ideas passing through,
Not the entirety of your experience.
And when the mind becomes quiet,
Notice the space between the thoughts.
There is nothing you need to do with that space.
Simply be aware of it.
Continue with your practice of mindfulness of breath and body.
And when thoughts or feelings become strong,
Simply notice them and meet them with the same mindful,
Gracious attention.
And as we come to the end of our practice,
Take a moment to reconnect with the places where your body meets the world.
Notice what has shifted.
Feel them to your feet and hands.
And when you're ready.
Open your eyes.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
