If your mind feels heavy or clouded today,
This short pause is here to bring you back to clarity and calm.
Experiencing brain fog feels a lot like walking outside on a cloudy day.
The world only exists within a few feet of where you stand.
Everything else is a mystery tucked under a vast,
Misty blanket.
You know there is a world beyond what you can see,
But if you try to move through it too quickly,
You'll likely run into something.
Brain fog is the same.
You have an idea of where your thought process is going.
You know the general direction,
But when you try to make a move,
Your thoughts feel jumbled and become stuck until the fog clears.
Do you sometimes wish you could send in a strong wind to clear that mental fog?
What if I told you that the strong wind you seek could be as near as your next breath?
Let's begin by setting an intention for this practice.
Ask yourself this question.
How do I want to feel when I'm done with this practice?
If you aren't quite sure,
Here are some possibilities.
Clear.
Focused.
Sharp.
Ready.
Feel free to use any of these if they resonate with you.
Now,
Come to a seated position in a chair or on the floor.
Adjust your body so that you can sit comfortably for several minutes.
Pause this recording if you need to and take all the time you need.
Then,
When you are ready,
Close your eyes.
Begin by noticing your body right where you are.
Let your shoulders drop,
Soften your jaw,
And allow a gentle breath in and out.
How do you typically notice that you are experiencing brain fog?
Are there any patterns or triggers that lead up to it?
Lack of sleep often results in a brain foggy day for me.
Having too many meetings throughout the day and multitasking can also disrupt my steady thought flow.
What about you?
What are your patterns and triggers?
Think about how brain fog physically feels in your body.
For me,
It's crankiness.
I feel frustrated.
If the fog is from lack of sleep,
My eyes might feel small and itchy.
Or I might have a slight headache.
What about you?
How does brain fog feel in your body?
Sometimes I feel that if I could pause everything,
Close my eyes,
And be still,
I could restart my thought process and clear away the fog.
Just like you might restart your computer to clear out a glitch.
We've started that process right here as we sit,
Eyes closed,
In stillness.
Now we're ready to introduce the breath and clear this fog together.
Let's start with four rounds of a simple healing breath.
We will inhale deeply for a count of four and exhale for a count of four.
As you breathe,
Imagine yourself standing outside your front door looking out toward your foggy neighborhood.
With each exhale,
Imagine the fog beginning to lift.
Let's begin.
Inhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale for three,
Two,
One.
Notice that as the fog begins to lift,
The air is beginning to feel light and crisp instead of heavy and damp.
Inhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale for three,
Two,
One.
Notice that as the fog continues to lift,
More and more of your neighborhood comes into view.
First your mailbox,
Then a car parked on the street,
A person walking on the sidewalk,
Your neighbor's house.
Inhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale for three,
Two,
One.
The cloud of fog continues to rise and a beam of sunlight breaks through to illuminate the grass below.
The dew-tipped leaves sparkle.
Inhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale for three,
Two,
One.
The sunbeam expands and you follow it up with your gaze until you see a patch of blue expanding to reveal clear skies.
Now,
Say to yourself,
Either silently or out loud,
My mind is clear as the sky.
My thoughts as brilliant as a ray of sun.
My ideas sparkle like fresh morning dew.
My mind is clear as the sky.
My thoughts as brilliant as a ray of sun.
My ideas sparkle like fresh morning dew.
My mind is clear as the sky.
My thoughts as brilliant as a ray of sun.
My ideas sparkle like fresh morning dew.
Before we end the practice,
Take one final full breath in and release it out.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes.
Now that you have claimed your clarity,
Carry it with you for the rest of your day.
Bookmark this meditation and come back to it any time brain fog begins to roll into your mind.
Thank you for letting me guide your practice.
May you carry this clarity and calm into whatever comes your way.
Until next time,
Breathe easy,
Begin gently,
And trust your own rhythm.
