Naming a Thought

This classic Burmese meditation is mindfulness at its most basic (and most powerful). This meditation will teach you about your mind and help still your mind.

Transcript

Welcome to this meditation on mindfulness of thought with Peter Radcliffe.

This meditation is very simple and yet very profound and it's actually practiced quite commonly in countries like Burma because it's such a special meditation.

We can use it to literally dissolve distractions before they become stories in our mind and thus take us away from the meditation object.

So when you're ready we can begin.

Sit in meditation posture and bring your mind to your breath.

Now as you think about your breath repeat the words breathing,

Breathing,

Breathing in time with your breath and repeat this process for as long as possible until you have a distraction.

Once you have a distraction whatever that distraction is just say the word of that distraction three times in time with the breath.

So for example bird singing,

Bird singing,

Bird singing,

Pain in the knee,

Pain in the knee and so on.

Every time you have a distraction make sure you repeat that thought or that distraction three times in time with the breath.

If you have a distraction during those three breaths just save it up to repeat once those three breaths are over and if you don't have any distraction then simply go back to concentrating on the breath and repeat the mantra breathing in time with the breath.

See if you can keep this up for as long as possible and try to notice and be aware of what happens to the distractions as you do so.

Reviews

Very clear directions for a quick way to ground and reconnect with disruptive thoughts. Wonderful for taming a chatty mind.

Interesting concept

This is brilliant in it's simplicity. I get distracted by body sensations that freak me out a bit and did as he instructed and it was amazing what a difference it made!

Great idea! Will use this method!

That seems like a great idea which I will put into practice!!

Interesting! I'll try to put in practice everyday!!!

Thank you for the idea of this meditation. An added bonus is it lasts and lasts and lasts....

Very interesting approach!

Simple and yet potentially powerful to become an obaerver

Helpful, hopefully. Thankyou.

Simple and strong

Thank you for the tip. I just tried it and will definitely try it again.

Very nice and helpful for getting rid of pesky thoughts.

Intresting to know

OH I like this a lot. My morning meditation is typically punctuated by the drone of Morning Joe coming from upstairs. You know- enough that you hear it but cannot make out what is being said. This exercise, having focused on the droning, moved it to the background and out of focus for me. Will definitely be adding this to my mid-day meditation at work. Thank you!

Brilliant! Incredibly simple and useful. Works like a charm. Thank you very much.

Effective. Thank you.

Very useful. Thanks.

This is a good idea and I am thankful.