Welcome,
My name is Chungjin and I'll be guiding you in this meditation.
There's a common misconception that we need to control our thoughts during meditation,
But the truth is we can't control our thoughts and we don't need to.
Meditation is a practice of awareness.
This means noticing our thoughts,
Not controlling them.
I'll be guiding you to show you what it's like to release control and to simply notice your thoughts.
So go ahead and get into a meditation posture of your choice.
Close your eyes and breathe comfortably in and out through the nose.
In this practice,
We're allowing thoughts to arise.
There's nothing for you to do,
Control,
Or achieve.
Just relax.
Let the mind wander.
Let it be free.
I like to think of thoughts as bubbles.
When we notice that we're thinking,
Our awareness bursts the bubble.
It happens naturally without any effort on our part.
The next time you're aware that you're thinking,
Notice what happens to the thought.
Awareness breaks the train of thought.
There's nothing that you need to do to control your thoughts.
Thoughts will keep coming back.
It's only natural.
Keep noticing.
That's all there is to this practice.
Simply notice and let your awareness burst the bubble of thought.
And observe how this brings you back to the present moment,
Even if it's just for a few seconds until the next thought arises.
There's no need to make any comments or judgments about your practice.
It's okay if you keep getting lost in thought.
Be kind to yourself.
Be compassionate.
Judgment,
Criticism,
And negativity will only discourage you,
And there's no need for that.
Don't become attached to noticing.
Don't feel happy about noticing your thoughts.
Don't feel upset about not noticing your thoughts.
There's no good or bad,
Right or wrong.
Meditation is called a practice.
Don't expect perfection.
Sometimes you notice your thoughts,
Sometimes you don't.
We can't control our thoughts or our awareness,
And we can't force ourselves to be present.
It happens naturally through the repetition of noticing our thoughts.
Thoughts arise again and again,
And we simply notice again and again.
Continue to be compassionate.
Continue to be detached.
Continue to be free of judgment.
Simply notice.
This is the practice of meditation.
