Hello and welcome to this session on Focused Attention Training.
This is one of the foundational mindfulness techniques where we learn how to steady and calm our mind by placing our attention on what we choose.
Let's get started.
Let's sit with grounded balance with our feet on the floor,
A straight back,
Head,
Neck and shoulders but keeping our posture relaxed but alert,
Not too stiff or rigid or trying too hard.
It's important in this practice not to try to control the breath,
Simply letting it be.
So let's start by noticing the natural rhythm of the breath as it flows in and as it flows out,
Becoming aware of each in-breath and each out-breath.
Now tuning in your attention to where you feel the breath most easily.
That could be the rise and fall of the belly or the chest.
You could be noticing the sensations of breathing in and around your nostrils or following the whole cycle of the breath as it flows in and it flows out.
And for the next 10 or so minutes,
Using one of those areas to place your attention to observe the sensations of breathing.
Mindfulness is a bit like training a puppy.
We know our mind will wander,
Will run off and with an attitude of kindness,
Friendliness,
We ask it to come back,
To sit,
To stay.
Each time your mind gets distracted by thoughts,
Sounds,
Feelings,
Sensations,
Images,
Thank your mind for noticing.
Kindly steer your attention back to the sensations of breathing.
If you're new to this practice,
It can help you to get better at practicing.
If you're new to this practice,
It can help to bring in some counting to manage distractions.
So with each out-breath,
Silently counting one,
Then two,
Counting in ones until you get to ten and then backwards till you get to one.
Repeating that in cycles.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
If you've got hooked by thoughts and feelings or forgotten to count,
Just relax,
Release,
Return to the breath,
Return to the counting starting from one.
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
If something has hooked your attention,
Bringing it back,
Noticing that you're breathing in,
You're breathing out,
Observing how each breath is different.
You've never had this one breath before.
Everything is grabbing your attention.
Simply relax,
Release,
Return to the breath,
Return to the counting.
We're not trying to push away or prevent thoughts.
Simply notice when we're distracted and choose our attention on the breath.
As we close the session,
Perhaps setting an intention for the rest of the day to notice if you caught up in the past or the future.
Using the breath as an anchor to come back into the here and now,
Into the present moment.
Thanks for joining me today on this session.
