Welcome to the STOP practice.
The STOP practice is an informal mindfulness based practice that can be done at any time or place throughout the day.
Before we continue,
Just knowing that you have the choice to end this practice at any time you feel you need to,
Even if it's halfway through.
Your awareness of the need to stop is also an act of mindfulness.
STOP is an acronym that stands for Stop or Pause,
Take a breath,
Observe what sensations and feelings are present,
And proceed with more awareness.
Please find a comfortable place to sit or stand for the next few moments.
Take in a deep breath or two.
Begin by either closing the eyes or softening and lowering the gaze.
Take in a moment to notice what it feels like to stop,
To step out of moving and doing and to instead step into being and noticing.
You may like to ask yourself the question,
How is my experience in this moment?
If possible,
See if you can let go of the need to get somewhere else and arrive at the next part of your day.
Try in as best you can to observe what comes up for you without judgment and without needing for it to be different or needing it to mean anything in particular about you.
Now gently shift in your attention to see if you can notice the presence of the breath in the body.
Asking yourself,
Where are the sensations of breathing most present in the body today?
Maybe it's at the tip of the nostrils,
At the chest,
Or the rising and falling of the abdomen.
Noticing what it's like to be breathing,
To be inhaling and exhaling,
Nothing more,
Nothing less.
Noticing the quality of your breathing.
Maybe it's short and shallow or maybe it's longer and deeper.
Just noticing and not needing to fix or change it in any way.
And now dropping in the question,
What does the body feel like in this moment?
Is there tightness,
Ease,
Energy,
Tingling,
Numbness?
Whatever you notice,
The intention is to try and be present with the sensations in the body as they are,
As best you can.
Now moving your attention to observing any thoughts that are present for you.
Noticing now what the mind is doing.
Not with any particular agenda or sense of judgment about what's good or bad or right or wrong.
Rather,
Noticing what the mind is doing in this moment.
How is the mind?
Maybe it's planning the future or thinking about the past.
Maybe there's not much happening.
Maybe there's irritation,
Agitation.
Maybe there's a lot of distraction.
Just noticing what happens when you observe the mind in this way.
Finally,
Now shifting the attention again to observe any emotions that are present.
There may be sadness,
There may be joy,
There may be boredom,
Maybe not much is there.
Not needing to feel anything in particular or change the feelings in any way.
Knowing it's okay for whatever you find to be here as it is.
Now bringing your attention back to the experience of the body.
This time expanding the awareness out to include the body as a whole.
Noticing any sounds that you can hear.
Noticing any sensations,
Maybe how they may be different or the same to when you started this practice.
And slowly bringing your attention back into the room or place that you are in.
And when you are ready,
Finally once again opening up the eyes or lifting your gaze.
And you may choose to close this practice by asking yourself,
What is the most important thing for me right now?
What deserves my attention most?
Feeling fully awake and present,
Continuing on with the rest of your day with a greater sense of ease and awareness.
