Awareness 2: Water Levels

In this guided meditation, we show you how to build awareness by establishing, holding and releasing attention. Designed specifically for mixed martial artists.

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Michelle and thank you for taking the time to download this guided water levels exercise.

Before we begin,

I'd like to remind you what we at My MMA Brain are trying to help you do.

Our goal is to help you understand how mental training techniques work and how to do them properly.

Eventually,

You should be able to combine several techniques into one single practice,

One that works best for you,

Without the help of a guide.

For that reason,

We recommend becoming familiar with each technique we introduce you to,

And any other mental training techniques you acquire,

To develop a daily routine that serves you well.

This track is similar to the body scan exercise,

But uses different imagery,

Water,

And is done in a seated position,

Instead of lying on a bed,

The floor,

Or a couch.

The reason for providing this variation is because some people prefer to sit instead of lie.

That's all.

Use one,

Or both,

Or none.

It's up to you.

Maybe try practicing both versions and repeat what works best for you.

Either way,

You'll be training the mind to establish,

Hold,

And release attention,

A skill that,

If you haven't yet noticed,

Is critical in the sport of mixed martial arts.

Remember,

In doing this exercise,

The purpose isn't to change anything,

But simply notice what is present,

What is happening right now,

To be in total control of your mind,

Body,

And emotions.

Realizing when your attention has wandered,

And then returning attention back as you systematically move your attention around your body.

Your mind will wander,

And this is normal.

You'll encounter a full range of experiences,

Including tendencies to react,

Judge,

Plan,

Or fantasize about the past or future.

That's fine.

Remember that the intended outcome is simply awareness.

Now,

Let's get started.

Find a comfortable spot away from distractions.

Sitting in a comfortable chair in an upright position,

Facing forward,

Arms relaxed with your hands placed in a comfortable position in your lap,

Palms up,

Down,

Fingers crossed,

Whatever.

Do what works for you.

Feet planted flat on the floor,

Allowing your eyes to close.

Now,

Let's get in touch with your breath.

In the future,

You may do breathing exercises for an extended period of time until you're ready to continue with an exercise like this.

Five or 10 minutes of mindful breathing may work well.

Sensing the movement of your breath,

Sensations in your body,

Feeling the touch or pressure of your body where it makes contact with the ground.

Thinking deeper into the chair with each breath while keeping your posture erect but not strained.

Taking a moment to remind yourself of your intention,

That is,

Not to feel any different.

The intention is to bring your awareness to any sensations you detect to the best of your ability.

Becoming an observer,

The all-seer.

Picture in your mind the room you are in and picture yourself sitting in it.

Imagining now the room you are in is completely empty but that it will slowly fill with water around you from the bottoms of your feet to the top of your head.

Now,

Feel the thin layer of water making contact with the soles of your feet and forming a thin layer of wetness across the floor of the room.

As the water level slowly rises,

Focus your attention on where it touches you,

Feeling any sensations around or between your toes,

Bringing a gentle curiosity to any feelings that arise.

Investigating the quality of sensations you find,

Perhaps the warmth of the water.

Sound on your feet,

Maybe a sense of tingling,

Perhaps no sensations.

Allow the water to begin to surround your toes and up the back of your heels,

Rising evenly throughout the room,

Feeling any sensations on the side of your feet,

The tops of both your feet now.

Exploring the sensations in your heels,

The instep,

And the bottom of your feet in the water.

Set your ankles now,

Allowing your awareness to follow the water,

To expand around the ankle,

Completely aware of any sensations on the skin and deeper into the flesh and into the bones,

Feeling any pain or stiffness.

Perhaps feeling the warmth caused by the water penetrate the skin of your feet and ankles,

Penetrating the muscle fibers and even the cells in your tissue,

Allowing the water to continue to slowly move up your lower legs,

Bending and conforming to the shape of your body.

Rest your focus on any sensations you experience in your lower calves.

Be aware of any discomfort you feel and let your attention rest on this spot until the feeling subsides.

Maybe no discomfort.

Either way,

Just focus,

Continuing to bring awareness to the lower leg,

The bottom of your calves and shins.

Sense the volume of water slowly filling the room.

If your mind wanders,

That's entirely normal.

It's what minds do.

However,

When you notice that your mind has wandered from where you intend to focus your attention,

Gently return your attention to the part of the body you intend to focus on.

Coming up now,

Halfway up your shins,

Backs of your calves,

Just under the kneecaps now,

Taking up even more space in the room.

You are now making contact with the back of your knees,

Your buttocks and hamstrings.

The water level slowly beginning to engulf the sides of your thighs,

Bringing any attention to feelings of tenderness in your muscles.

Perhaps soreness from training,

Perhaps from a recent kickboxing sparring session.

Feeling perhaps a little lighter now too,

Partially submerged in the water.

Feeling the space between your legs from below,

Your genitals and groin.

The water now almost completely engulfing the tops of your thighs.

And slowly,

Focusing on the water,

The sensations it creates and any sensations it brings as you direct your attention to each part of your body.

Calm and controlled breathing,

Focusing on how your body feels.

Relaxed,

Safe,

Comfortable here in this place.

With your legs now under water,

Rest your attention on both of your legs completely,

Submerged under this warm water.

Feeling any pain in your knees or no sensations at all.

Relaxed fine too.

If you begin to wonder if you're doing this exercise right,

That's normal.

For these and other mental training exercises to work,

You need to be open and to accept any struggles that come as a result of practicing.

This includes having doubts.

Your hard work will pay off.

Just keep going and continue to acknowledge when your mind has wandered and gently redirect your focus back to the task at hand.

Reminding yourself that there will be time to think later,

But right now,

We're focusing.

The water now making contact with your hands in your lap,

Slowly passing over your fingers.

As the water rises above your hands,

Take a moment to focus on the feelings in your hands,

Tending to them with curiosity.

Even noticing the space that the water takes up between your fingers.

Feeling any stress in your tendons,

Injuries you may have sustained recently,

The muscles and your finger joints.

Now allowing the water to cover your wrists.

Feeling any discomfort or nothing,

Just being aware.

If you begin to think about how long this is taking,

What you have to do later,

Or any other distracting thought,

That's okay,

It's perfectly normal.

Remember,

This is training.

And in calmly returning your attention to the task at hand,

You will build the ability to be less distracted by external stimuli in the future.

Try not to think of being distracted as a negative,

But feel grateful that you were able to notice the distraction and able to return your attention to where you wanted it in this exercise,

The water and your body.

Feeling slowly up your forearms now.

Once they are submerged,

Rest for a moment on your forearms.

Feeling anything from heat to soreness,

To temperature,

To the pull of gravity on these parts of your body.

Perhaps they feel lighter.

Moving around your hips,

Resting for a moment on your hips.

Feeling at a steady,

Controlled pace,

So as not to miss any part of your body.

Continuing up towards your belly button,

The sensations on your skin,

Inside your lower belly,

In your lower spine,

The organs within you.

Perhaps noticing the lack of sensations you are experiencing,

Perhaps tingling,

Numbness.

Slowly moving over your belly,

Allowing the water to surround your body.

Now engulfing your elbows,

The volume of warm,

Comforting water increasing in the room.

Your lower biceps,

To your sternum,

Around your torso,

Including your ribs,

Water rising around each curve of your anatomy.

Slowly over your chest,

Noticing any sensations,

Beating of your heart.

Calm and controlled breathing.

Returning now to your triceps,

Sensing any discomfort and staying with it until it subsides.

There's no need to rush.

Around the widest part of your chest,

Seeing the water level around the thickest part of your back.

Moving into and around your armpits,

Slowly rising,

Eventually to your collarbone and upper back.

Noticing the sensation on the surface of your skin and also feeling sensations inside your body.

Beginning now,

The water rising around your neck,

Feeling warmth,

Coolness,

Soreness from that neck crank you got caught in while rolling earlier.

The water now at the place where your spine meets the base of your skull and the Adam's apple.

Seeing most of the room now,

The water approaching and slowly rising over your chin.

Then,

Just below your lower lip,

Just below your ears,

Over your lips and below your nose.

Feeling the slight pressure of this water as it continues to move over your body.

Sensing the volume of water in the room and the volume of your body within the water now.

Over your nose and around your head.

Into your eyelids now,

Your eyelids,

The back of your head.

Moving up to your eyebrows,

Your forehead now.

Bringing your attention to any sensations,

Feeling your entire face and any expression you may be holding.

Just using to keep or release any tensions in the muscles of your face as the water rises over it.

Letting the warm water soothe your body,

Soaking gently in this fluid.

Continuing to rise,

Creating a circle around the top of your head,

Slowly getting smaller toward the top of your head.

The circle getting smaller and smaller until finally your entire head is completely underwater.

Rest.

Getting in this position,

Spending a few moments simply being aware of your body as a whole,

Relaxed and completely immersed in this warm liquid.

Sensing the amount of volume your body displaces in this water.

Sensing the space that the water takes up around your arms and torso,

Between your legs and around your thighs.

Sensing the space your body occupies,

Your calves,

Your feet.

Feeling the volume of water in the room and feeling your body now floating in this position,

In this room.

And rest here for a moment,

Breathing freely.

Be thankful now and express sincere gratitude to yourself,

Giving yourself the opportunity and taking the time to practice this exercise.

When finishing any mental training exercise,

It is important to come back slowly,

Easing back into a regular state of awareness.

And at least a minute returning to the present moment at your own pace.

Starting to return movement into your fingers and toes,

Wiggling them gently perhaps.

Then slowly opening your eyes.

Feeling objects in the room,

The colors and shapes.

Taking a moment to feel the difference in your mindset compared to when you started this exercise.

Still returning to normal wakefulness.

Let the calmness and focused attention from this exercise follow you into your life and into the cage,

More calm and more in control.

With practice,

You will see the results of your efforts in the cage and in life.

Return to practice this and similar exercises to build awareness and to train your mind to maintain focused attention,

Helping you to become a better fighter.

For more mental training exercises,

Please visit www.

MyMMABrain.

Com.

Reviews

Excellent 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Wonderful mental exercise