Hello I'm Sammy Swain and welcome to this guided technique of mental noting.
This technique is good for grounding the meditator in the present moment,
Increasing overall awareness,
Helping us recognize patterns of experience and lessening identification with experiences.
Overall it's a good aid to help us develop presence and stillness within our practice.
You may have practiced counting whilst meditating before.
This is a similar technique using a few simple words as an aid to cultivate a more deeply focused attention.
It involves gently recognizing whatever is present and giving it a simple name.
This technique involves an open awareness as we allow whatever we're feeling,
Thought or sensation to arise,
To come into our awareness and then for it to dissolve from our awareness just as easy as it entered.
For example when we notice a thought that arises we can gently note thinking and when we notice a sensation that arises we can gently note sensation.
There's no need to worry exactly about what the label might be,
Just use a word that feels appropriate at that time.
So let's begin.
Please find yourself a comfortable alert position with a good posture.
I suggest having the back upright and avoiding any slouching.
You might like to gently close the eyes or lower your eyelids down to allow a small slither of light in.
Let's begin by taking one or two deeper exhales and resume a comfortable breathing pattern for you.
I find in through the nose and out through the nose calming for me but it's different for everyone.
You could start by letting something go if it feels right.
Perhaps you could use this as a moment to transition to a new part of the day allowing what's already happened to pass.
As we settle into the present moment let's gently scan through the body and notice if there's any places that can be softened or relaxed.
Noticing the top of the head,
Noticing the face,
The jaw,
Perhaps can give it a bit of a wiggle.
Feeling into the area of the shoulders and see if they can drop a little lower releasing any tension there.
Noticing where your hands are resting.
Feel your weight resting fully on the chair or the cushion beneath you and begin to bring your attention to the breath moving in and out of the body allowing your breath to be smooth,
Slow and relaxed.
We can begin by gently noting the breath breathing in,
Breathing out or perhaps simply in on the inhales and out on the exhales.
Another word for this may be rising on the inhales and falling on the exhales.
Allowing the phrases to come to us lightly in our awareness.
In,
Out,
In.
If our minds feeling overly active we can consciously choose to channel that energy into our noting practice.
Gathering that energy and channeling it lightly on the task of noting can allow this active energy to be a friend and to help us practice.
Recognizing the breath in and out.
If we notice we become lost in thinking we can gently note that too.
Thinking.
Our mind may notice a physical sensation in the body.
We can note that too.
Sensation.
We may notice sounds around us and we can note that too.
Listening.
Our minds may notice a particular emotion or feeling and we can gently note that too.
Feeling.
Just gently noting and labeling whatever arises.
Whenever you're not sure where to put the attention just come back to the breath.
In,
Out,
In and out.
Keeping our noting very simple.
We don't need to overthink what word we use.
Our mental noting can connect us more deeply into the experience of the present moment.
Into the experience of this exact moment.
There will be many moments when our attention wanders away from the breath into thoughts or bodily sensations or sounds around us and we may even become lost in thought for quite a long time.
We don't need to resist these moments.
We can foster patience and simply begin again by gently returning to the next breath.
In,
Out,
In,
Out.
Try bringing a gentle calm tone of voice to your noting.
Even if you can only be aware of one or two breaths before your mind begins to wander.
That's still a great beginning and with time your attention will strengthen.
When we lose ourselves in thought and return to the intention and focus of noting that's the cornerstone of every mindfulness practice.
That's the bicep curl for our mind.
Over time you will slowly grow your own capacity to practice mindfulness and meditation.
Being attentive to our breath and our breathing is a powerful reminder to be present for life.
In,
Out.
Now as we come to the end of this practice bring your awareness to what's happening in your body and in your mind.
See if there's any feeling of calmness or subtleness.
Just noticing and appreciating that.
If there is a feeling of busyness we can just be aware of that too.
Fostering patience towards ourselves.
Simply by recognizing that and working with being open to having a busy mind is a powerful quality of awareness which we can bring to our lives.
From that place of awareness,
Of knowing,
We have a choice about how to respond to these feelings.
When you're ready you can gently open your eyes moving slowly into your next activity.
Thank you for joining me.
If you enjoyed this technique and practice please feel free to leave a review.
Goodbye.
