Our minds are thought machines.
It's the job of our minds to produce thoughts and we don't even need to tell ourselves to think.
It just happens naturally and all the time.
Just like our saliva glands produce saliva,
Our minds produce thoughts.
And while some thoughts prompt us to action,
Other thoughts are interpretations of the world.
Consider how we automatically interpret the faces of the people we're with.
Immediately spinning a story based on the movement of facial muscles,
Eyebrow height,
Eyeball placement,
Making sense of the situation at hand.
Our thoughts always present,
Always there with an explanation.
Unexamined,
We may assume that what our mind is telling us is the truth,
But just because we think something doesn't mean that the thought is true or even important.
It's just a thought.
It's just our interpretation,
Our story.
So today we'll do some examination of our thoughts.
We'll look at the bubblings of our mind and understand the parts that are interpretive,
Asking ourselves to recognize the story that we're wrapping around.
So in this mindfulness meditation,
We'll be taking a step back from our thoughts,
Taking a look at them and describing each of our thoughts with a singular word,
Maybe two-word phrase.
So if I'm having a thought about liking or not liking my experience,
I might label that thought with the word judgment,
Just as an example.
And just a reminder that even judgments that are positive,
Like the thought,
I'm doing this really well,
Just notice that it's still a judgment,
An evaluation,
In this case an evaluation of how I'm doing.
And judgment thoughts of any kind aren't bad.
The point of this mindfulness practice is not to eliminate judgment,
But instead to know that we're doing it and to recognize that we're evaluating.
So wherever you are,
Let's start right now.
And if you're able to close your eyes,
Take a few mindful inhales and exhales at your own pace and begin to tune in to the workings of your own mind,
Your thoughts.
So this practice is to observe thoughts as they arise,
Put that one-word label on the type of thought that you're having best you can,
To really get at the essence of each thought as it arises.
So we're stripping away the story,
The explanation that our mind attaches,
And instead try to approach with neutrality.
What is the nature of this thought?
So I'll just give you a couple of more examples here.
We talked about judgment thoughts,
If you're thinking about the future,
A one-word label might sound something like planning or rehearsing,
Thinking about the past,
Label might be replaying,
Might have a sensation label for things like itch,
Itching of skin,
Or discomfort.
I have a lot of images or pictures of people when I do this exercise,
So I might label that with image,
Face.
So those are just some examples you may have your own labels to attach,
And again this practice is to observe your thoughts as they arise,
Tying that descriptor to your thought,
Not layering on a story,
Instead seeing the thought for what it is as objectively as possible.
So for the next little while,
Observe your thoughts arising,
Giving it a label,
And moving on to the next thought.
Okay,
Begin to shift the spotlight of your attention from your mind to your breath,
Letting go of the exercise,
And consider for a second what you've noticed,
What labels arose the most,
What did you learn about the inner workings of your own mind,
What might have surprised you,
And take just a second to appreciate what you've done.
So you've taken a look at your mind,
You let go of the automatic interpretation that our mind tends to attach,
And as you leave this practice you're a little more equipped to notice your own stories,
To observe your mind's own interpretations of the world around you.
You have more agency about whether to keep the story or let it go,
And only you know which stories may benefit you and which stories may not benefit you.
You have that tool.
It was a true pleasure to be with you during this mindfulness meditation.
Thank you for your willingness and awareness,
And I'm wishing you peace,
Harmony,
And joy.
