Welcome to this meditation.
Today we'll be practicing a foundational technique from the Unified Mindfulness System called Noting.
This method helps us strengthen clarity and concentration by mentally labeling our direct sensory experiences.
It's a simple yet powerful way to build insight,
Allowing us to be more aware of what's happening in the moment without getting tangled in the mind's usual habits of analyzing and evaluating.
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable sitting position,
Either in a chair or on a cushion on the floor,
Allowing your spine to be upright while still relaxed.
Let your hands rest in your lap or on your thighs in whatever way feels natural,
And if you'd like to,
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Take a few slow,
Deep breaths,
Inhaling gently through the nose and slowly exhaling through the mouth,
Breathing a bit more deeply than usual,
Signaling to yourself to take a moment to relax and be present.
Notice the contact between your body and the surface beneath you.
Feel the sensations of support and grounding,
And allow yourself to arrive fully here.
Let your breathing return to a natural rhythm and allow your attention to settle.
Now that you've settled in,
We'll focus on observing whatever arises in your experience and labeling it with a simple and objective note.
Again,
Noting keeps the mind engaged without getting lost in stories and thinking.
We'll be using three primary categories of noting—see,
Hear,
And feel.
See for anything visual,
Including mental imagery or darkness behind the eyes.
Hear for internal sounds like thoughts or self-talk,
As well as external sounds in the environment.
Feel for body sensations,
Emotions,
Or other physical phenomena.
Start by simply noticing what's most prominent in your experience right now.
If you notice a sound,
Silently note,
Hear.
If you notice a body sensation,
Silently note,
Feel.
If you notice imagery or light or darkness behind your eyes,
Silently note,
See.
There's no need to search for experiences.
Just be curious and receive whatever naturally arises in your awareness,
And gently apply the verbal note.
Let your awareness remain open,
Continuing to breathe naturally.
If a verbal thought appears,
Note,
Hear for inner talk,
Or see if a mental image appears.
If you're unsure,
It's okay.
Make your best guess and continue to note your primary sensory experience.
You may notice the breath,
And you can note feel for this bodily sensation.
You may also hear the sound of breathing or sound in the environment,
And just note,
Hear.
You may notice the flickering of light,
And note,
See.
Or a wave of an emotion,
And note,
Feel.
If experiences come quickly,
It's okay to note more frequently.
And if it feels spacious and calm,
Let the noting be more occasional and slow.
If you happen to find yourself lost in thought,
That's completely okay and natural.
When you notice,
Just note,
Hear,
Or see,
Depending on the nature of the thought,
And return to open,
Curious awareness.
Great work on this practice.
By noticing your experience and labeling it with clarity,
You've strengthened awareness and presence.
So take a minute and allow your mind to rest.
No need to note anything.
Just sit in open awareness,
Resting in the present moment.
Feel the breath.
Connect with the body.
Notice what it's like to be here,
Now,
With nothing to do,
Nowhere else to be.
And when you're ready,
Slowly begin to move your fingers and toes.
Roll your shoulders,
And gently open your eyes,
And take a moment to notice how you feel.
Hopefully you feel a greater sense of mental clarity that you can take with you into your day.
And continue to pause,
Note,
And reconnect with the moment as much as needed.
Thanks for listening,
And take care.
