Slowing Down The Mind

When your mind is going a million miles an hour, it helps to hone in your awareness to the very basics - the body and the breath. This practice is meant to help with that. Together, we gently guide that attention from your external space to the body itself as it calmly does it's thing. There's background music to enhance a tranquil atmosphere and plenty of spaces between verbal instructions to focus on yourself. This practice may be used in a group setting, but may be more beneficial used alone.

Transcript

Hello, Welcome. Let's begin this practice by taking a moment to settle into your space. Allow the eyes to close, Or if you feel better, Keeping them open. Allow your gaze to rest on a spot in front of you. And bringing the attention to any sounds that you're picking up on now. It could be the sound of traffic nearby, Of any chatter of anyone who happens to be close, The air flow, Maybe there's a fan or a heater, The sound of my voice, Just any sounds. Naming them, Noting them, And just allowing them to be as they are. Avoiding judging them, Just allowing them to be as they are in your environment right now. And then tuning in the attention to your body. What posture are you in right now? And what is it like for them to be where they are right now? Notice the temperature, The sensation of clothes, Fabric against your skin, The sensation of hair. You may even note some pain, Some discomfort here and there. And instead of trying to alter it, Trying to change it, Just letting it be just the way it is for now. Taking note of little things you feel here and there. The sensation of whatever is touching you right now, The pressure, The temperature, The texture. Just taking note as though you're taking an inventory, Writing a list of what's here right now. And if the mind wanders into any thoughts, Any judgments, Noting it, Even saying to yourself, Thinking, Thinking, And then bringing your attention back. Back to this moment, And back to this experience. And then bringing your attention even more inward to your chest area. Noticing how your chest rises with every inhale and contracts with every exhale. Not changing the pattern of breathing, Not forcing anything in any way. Simply allowing your breath to be as it is. Taking note of it just like you have with everything else. And just allowing it to be here as it is. No need to judge or criticize, Simply allowing it to be here in this moment. Recognizing that it will change and become even more comfortable or less so. But it will change, And it will change again, And again, And again, And that's okay. Resting here in the chest. Feeling the chest balloon out every warm nourishing inhale. And compressing once again with every exhale. And again, Going at its own pace, At its own rhythm. Just letting it be. And when you notice the mind has wandered, Just inviting it back, Right here, Just for now. It can focus again and think and problem-solve later, But for now, It's just here with the breath, With the body, With this environment right now. And beginning to expand the attention once again so that it encompasses the entire body, From the top of your head all the way down to your toes. And noticing how it feels to be in this body now. Has anything changed or is it about the same? There's no right or wrong, Just noting what's here right now. And expanding the attention one more time out beyond the body to this environment where you are right now. Where you're sitting or standing or lying down. Noticing the sounds, Any airflow, And welcoming yourself gently back into this space. Inviting some movement into the body, Wiggling the fingers, The toes. Stretching here and there. And here you are.