Wednesday Pause: Watching The Mind

Happy 2022! How do we practice disengaging and discernment so that we don't end up exhausting ourselves unnecessarily? In this mindfulness meditation, we watch our thoughts, coming and going as they are as we are a third party, not judging, not needing to react to every single thing the mind tells us to do. Here we are just sitting quietly and watching.

Transcript

Tonight's session,

I thought of doing this thing on watching the mind,

So watching our thoughts.

So the mind is really boundless in its potential,

Gives us new ideas,

New ways to solve problems,

Keeps us out of harm.

At the same time,

It can cause us a lot of grief,

The kind of thoughts that come through our mind,

Especially maybe negative thoughts or thoughts that just drag our moods down.

So the intention is really to just watch the mind tonight and just notice how the mind wanders and not judge it for wondering,

Because that's what minds do,

They wonder.

It is the nature of minds,

Right?

That's how you get new ideas and all that.

But you want to watch how it might be causing you grief,

Might be killing your wellbeing,

So to speak.

And so that's the intention today,

Is to take a non-judgmental attitude,

A kind attitude towards our mind and whatever thoughts that come through it.

So getting into a comfortable position,

Either lying down or standing up or sitting down.

So normally,

Sit down.

But go with a posture that works for you right this moment.

What does your body need?

So in all meditations,

We are very particular about how our body is feeling,

Noticing how it is responding,

The emotions that are arising and just acknowledging that.

So closing the eyes or just keeping them open.

Giving yourself permission to just arrive in the present moment.

And perhaps it has been a long day.

Or maybe it was an OK day.

So what's important is just right this moment.

Being in the here and now.

Attending to the breath.

Just feeling the breath as you take an in breath and all the way and out breath.

Allowing the mind to just rest on the breath as an anchor.

The mind may drift.

Jumping to one thought,

Then to another thought.

At this point,

We just focus on the breath for now.

Noticing as you're breathing in.

What happens in the body,

The chest moving the belly movements in the belly,

Perhaps.

And as you're breathing out,

How does the body respond?

Now feeling the weights of the body on the mat or chair or if you're lying down.

Or if you're standing up,

Then just feeling the weights of the body on the feet.

Feeling the ground supporting you.

Resting in the awareness of how you're being supported,

How the body is being supported.

By the chair you're sitting on or your cushion.

And as you continue to breathe in and breathe out.

Now some thoughts may be coming through the mind.

The invitation is to just watch these thoughts.

Watching them like an audience rather than an actor.

And not identifying yourself with those thoughts.

So those thoughts are not you.

Those thoughts are not you.

Those thoughts are not your identity.

They are just merely mental events coming through the mind.

If it helps,

Imagining or visualising your thoughts is playing out on a screen,

A cinema screen in front of you.

So we're not judging,

We're not reacting,

But simply just watching our thoughts as they come through the mind.

And if there are no particular thoughts or there's nothing that's coming through,

Then just noticing the mindset ease.

And if it helps,

Just continuing to use the breath as your anchor or your body,

Feeling the body.

Now some thoughts may be unwanted or seems quite disturbing or unpleasant,

Negative.

Just letting them come and go.

For now,

Just watching them.

Not needing to do something about them.

Not even needing to take down notes.

Maybe some ideas are coming through the mind.

Just letting them pass.

So taking a step back and just watching your thoughts,

Watching whatever that pops up in the mind.

Now,

If you're feeling any strong emotions,

Whether pleasant ones or unpleasant ones,

Just acknowledging those emotions.

Whether it's a feeling of tightness or ease,

Or sadness or happiness.

Wanting to do something,

Striving or just wanting to be at ease and just acknowledging how you're feeling,

What you feel like doing.

And not judging yourself for having any particular thoughts or emotions.

Thoughts are like products of the mind,

Mental events,

An outcome of whatever that's coming through the mind.

And so giving yourself some distance,

Allowing some distance between you and your thoughts.

Observing them like a third party.

If there are no particular thoughts,

But you are feeling sensations in the body,

Physical sensations,

Just noticing what there is there.

Just sitting with it.

You.

And maybe there are some thoughts that are coming through the mind like,

Oh,

This is boring.

I need to do something.

To stand up,

I need to stretch or I need to check the time.

When will this be over?

These thoughts are very natural.

It's the impatient mind.

We're just watching these thoughts.

Come and go.

You.

And if you wish,

Just using the breath as the anchor to keep the mind steady.

Breathing in,

Breathing out,

Noticing,

Feeling the breath coming to the body and leaving the body.

You.

You.

You.

You.

You are watching the mind,

Just noticing how the mind operates.

The thoughts come through like a running tape.

Like burst of thoughts.

What sort of thoughts?

That's all come through.

Passes by.

Thoughts about work or family.

Just random things.

So not needing to control the mind or control the thoughts,

But just letting them come and go.

Just using that.

That's just what minds do.

They give you thoughts.

You.

And now from watching thoughts,

Just shifting the attention back to the breath.

How to the body.

Once again,

Just feeling,

Noticing the body,

Acknowledging how you might be feeling.

But a restless calm.

Agitated.

Patience.

Judgemental or maybe just feeling kind and peaceful.

Just acknowledging whatever is here or if you don't feel anything,

Anything special or anything like that,

It's also OK.

Connecting with the breath.

Feeling the breath.

How just simply breathing.

Can make a difference to our lives.

Allowing us to work,

Study,

Live.

I read you this poem.

By Emily Dickinson.

The brain is wider than the sky.

So the brain is wider than the sky.

For put them side by side.

The one the other.

Will contain with ease and you decide.

The brain is deeper than the sea.

For hold them blue to blue.

The one the other will absorb.

As sponges and buckets do.

The brain is wider than the sky.

So the brain has endless potential.

The mind is boundless.

We just use it to our benefit.

So now just sending appreciation to yourself.

For showing up.

For taking care of yourself,

Making time.

For calmness and well-being.

And sending appreciation to people here in this space with you.

All on the same journey.

And opening the eyes when you're ready.

So Happy New Year to you.

And I hope that you have a good year.

And see you again.

Feel free to come back any Wednesday.

And I'll see you in the next video.

Reviews

Thank you so much. I wanted to share the thoughts that arose in my mind during this wonderful meditation:

There is a discomfort in the body when it is experiencing a thought that provokes action.
Before the action can be complete - the discomfort gets stronger and stronger - like an itch - to the point of pain until it can be relieved.

Consuming information that angers us that we can’t do anything about keeps the body in this state - and we create pain in ourselves just with our attention.

An itch can be relieved if we can move our attention away.

Most of the time, all our actions are governed by this pain. The slightest discomfort drives us into action.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.
We don’t have to only be moved by pain.
We can choose our movements.
We can break into our free will.
With some mental discipline and patience.