Allowing Thoughts

Our typical reaction to thoughts is that we have to DO something with them. Often, though, thoughts are simple random associations in mind that require nothing more than noticing. In this meditation, we practice observing thoughts as mental events in the same way we observe sensations unfolding. We discover how greeting thoughts w/ acceptance, allowing, and patience can afford us freedom from this urge to doing when it is not necessary. We cultivate a shift in our relationship with thoughts.

Transcript

And let's begin. And our first act of self-care will be just checking in with body and finding a comfortable position for body. Feet resting upon the floor, Feeling the floor supporting the soles of feet, Feeling the chair supporting thighs and bottom, And inviting a comfortable lifting up of spine from down at our base of pelvis all the way up through torso, Rising up through neck, Rising up through crown, The top of head. So often we tend to find ourselves in a slump of gravity and in this moment, Just lifting upwards, Up towards sky, Feeling how that opens up chest perhaps for a little fuller breath. Then maybe a shoulder roll or two, Inviting shoulders to loosen and lower on torso. And maybe you've got some snap, Crackle, Pop in your shoulders like I do today. Just being aware of feeling that loosening of shoulders, Allowing head to be supported by spine and shoulders, Loosening jaw and lips either gently touching or slightly parted, And eyes either opened or closed, Whichever you find of ease and comfort in this moment. Bringing attention now into body and bringing your awareness down into toes and feet, Just checking in of sorts. Noticing what sensations are found here within toes and feet and eyes and greeting those sensations with just a gentle awareness and noticing, Letting go of the need or the want for anything to be different in this moment and greeting those sensations as they are and allowing of sorts. Bringing your attention now up into calves, Thighs and hips. And again, Just noticing. Letting this noticing be an opportunity of practicing acceptance, Allowing of what sensations are found. Maybe a patience with things maybe not changing as quickly as we'd like them to, Just letting these sensations be as they are in the moment. Bringing attention now up into belly and low back, Ribs and mid back and chest and upper back. Again, Just noticing what sensations are found here within torso. Greeting those sensations with an acceptance and allowing a patience. Letting go of the need to fix or change anything. Bringing attention now into hands and fingers, Forearms and arms. Just noticing. And what's it like to be with these sensations as they are, Greeting with an acceptance and allowing a patience. Bringing your attention now into shoulders and neck and rising up the back of head. And just noticing. Greeting these sensations with acceptance, Allowing, Patience. Bringing your attention now across ears and jaw and rising up face, All the way up to crown, The top of head. Noticing sensations. Greeting those sensations with acceptance, Allowing, Patience. And now bringing your attention to the physical sensations of body breathing. And if it helps, You can take a fuller breath or two. Something a little more tangible to bring our attention to. So maybe a little fuller, Breathing in, Letting go. Nothing forced, Just an invitation of sorts. Filling our lungs with life-giving oxygen. And then joining with this physical sensation of the letting go of the out-breath. And after a fuller breath or two, Trusting body will breathe as is needed in this moment and just feeling the sensations of body breathing in the space-time of here, Now. And within the stillness and spaciousness that we are creating here together in this moment, Noticing what thoughts may be appearing, Much the same way that we were noticing sensations. In this way, There's really no difference between the two, Just something else appearing in this moment. Thoughts are just something else showing up. And greeting thoughts much in the same way, In acceptance and allowing. A patience as these thoughts appear. Freeing ourselves from the obligation to do anything or fix anything. Just noticing thoughts, Much the same way we watch clouds float across the sky. Into maybe mixed metaphors, Much the same way that sensations shift and change and those clouds either dissipate or float across the horizon. Just noticing how thoughts do the same thing. Regardless of the content, They appear, Drift across our awareness and then fade away. And how this applying the mindfulness qualities of acceptance or allowing and patience, How does that shift our relationship, Our experience with these thoughts? Perhaps what freedom does that afford us in this moment when we don't have to do anything beyond just observing the presence of thoughts? A key understanding of the mindfulness quality of acceptance or allowing doesn't mean liking. You don't have to like every thought that appears. I can still allow it to be and to pass through my awareness. Breathing, Observing and allowing thoughts and then letting go. Being with the space that remains behind as we practice allowing. And just noticing what we find in this space when we practice this other way of being with our thoughts. What do we create space for when we don't have to do anything with thinking? Now opening eyes if they were closed, Maybe a little gentle stretch or movement as we transition from stillness back into the activity of our day. So thank you all for joining me and until we meet again, May you be well.