Thank you for joining us at Mindful Beats,
A place where music is used as a tool for deep,
Intentional focus.
Mindfulness is about focusing all of our attention onto what we are doing at any particular moment.
In this case,
Listening to music.
The practice of mindfulness aims to relax our mind.
However,
The mind remains very much awake,
But it is calm and it is clear.
This 10 minute session allows you a chance to step away from your busy day,
To clear away your clouded thinking,
Away from any worries,
From stress,
From unhelpful thoughts.
Our mind needs rest from this jumbled chaos.
It needs a chance to slow down,
To focus,
And to be in the present moment.
Only after giving our minds a rest can we hope to be able to focus on the things that really matter.
If you are listening to this,
You have already taken the first step.
Taking the time to stop and look after yourself.
I invite you to position yourself in a comfortable posture,
Ideally sitting up with your back straight,
But in any position that allows you to breathe easily and remain relaxed throughout the session.
Feel the pressure of your body through the surfaces you are sitting on,
The points of contact.
Notice these sensations.
Our body always feels these sensations,
But our mind is often too busy to notice them.
When you are ready,
Gently close your eyes.
Listening to the beat of the drum,
Notice the slow and regular pattern.
Let's use this pattern to pace out our breathing,
Drawing your attention to the sensation of the air going in and out of your lungs.
I would like you to breathe in to the count of four,
And then breathe out to the count of four.
I invite you to join me in this breathing now.
In out In out In out Allowing your breathing to return to a comfortable rhythm for you,
With state of rest,
Of relaxation.
Notice you may be noticing the sound of a guitar.
Throughout this song,
You may choose to focus some or all of your attention onto this instrument.
The guitar can remain your anchor of focus and attention for the remainder of the song.
If your mind wanders,
Or you get carried away with your thoughts,
Acknowledge this,
But then gently bring your attention back to the sounds of the guitar and the music.
I encourage you to be aware of the different musical notes,
Or the melody.
Perhaps picture the fingers plucking the guitar strings,
Or picture the musician playing the instrument.
Whatever allows you to focus your attention more fully on the guitar and the music.
Throughout the song,
Other sounds and instruments will be introduced,
Noticing these.
Being curious of these different sounds,
But continue to return your attention to the guitar,
Remaining anchored on its tones.
I hope you can enjoy this time of focus on music,
Mindfulness.
I invite you to continue to anchor your focus onto the sound of the guitar and the music.
If unhelpful thoughts arise,
It's okay.
Just noting that this is a thought,
And letting it go.
Continuing to the sound of the guitar and the music.
I ask that you gently bring your awareness to the sound of the song,
Slowly ending.
Continue noticing the different instruments that are playing,
And then notice them as you leave the song.
To finish up,
I invite you to take two deep breaths to the count of four,
Noticing the air going in and out of your lungs.
In out.
In out.
Taking a moment to notice the sensations in your body and how you're feeling right now.
Remember this moment,
The feeling of calm for times when you need it.
Perhaps a feeling of relaxation,
Or a feeling of clarity,
Or a feeling of space.
Remember that through mindfulness,
You have the ability to easily return to these feelings.
You can practice this again for times when you may need it.
When you are ready,
With a relaxed smile,
Gently open your eyes.
Slowly reorientate yourself to the environment around you.
Thank you for joining me in using mindful beats today.
I hope you will return to this or enjoy our other songs as we explore the power of mindfulness together.
Go gently.
