Let's begin with the element of air and become more aware of our breath.
I like to use four steps to really go into the depth of mindfulness and being present.
And the first step is simply that of awareness.
And for the breath,
I like to really feel the physical sensations of the breath in the body.
So just checking that I'm not just thinking about the breath,
But I'm really feeling the breath in the body.
Reminding myself to keep my awareness nice and open.
So although I'm paying particular interest to the breath,
I'm still aware of the body,
My thoughts,
How I'm feeling,
The sounds,
The environment around me.
So open to the wholeness and the totality of the present moment.
And within that,
Really feeling the breath in the body,
Allowing everything else to happen around the breath.
The second step of being present with the breath,
So we're aware of the breath and then to accept the breath.
So not trying to change the breath in any way,
Allowing the breath to find its own rhythm in its own time,
Not making any effort to breathe more slowly or more deeply.
But exploring the breath just as it is,
As we find it in the body.
The third step is to allow.
And for the breath,
I tend to apply this particularly to the in-breath.
I really have that feeling of fully and freely allowing the breath into the body with each in-breath.
So noticing how that feels as you breathe in.
So be breathing in without any restriction,
Without any interference,
Allowing the breath fully and freely into the body.
And then the fourth step of letting go,
Of release,
Letting be.
And I like to apply this to the out-breath,
So allowing the breath in and consciously letting go of the breath with each out-breath and really feeling that release in the body,
Allowing the breath in,
Letting go as I breathe out.
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So next I'm going to apply those same four steps to my thoughts.
So inviting the thoughts to move into the centre,
The foreground of my awareness.
The breath just slightly in the background with the body and the sounds and feelings.
Still keeping the awareness nice and light and open.
Still welcoming all aspects of the present moment into my awareness.
And now I'm particularly interested in what it feels like to be thinking whilst being aware that I'm thinking.
So having thoughts and watching myself having those thoughts.
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And the second step of acceptance is particularly useful for our thoughts.
See if you can not make any effort at all to change or influence your thoughts or interfere in your thoughts in any way.
So don't try and think positively,
Don't try and think less,
Don't try and think more slowly and definitely don't try and stop your thoughts.
Give your thoughts complete freedom to be just as they are.
So continuing the awareness of the thoughts and accepting each and every thought just as it is.
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And with the step of allowing,
Seeing if you can get a sense of the thoughts flowing freely through your mind.
Just as the breath can flow freely through the body.
Just allowing one thought to follow the next.
Like a river,
Like water flowing freely in a stream or a river,
Allowing your thoughts to flow freely through the mind.
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So just as if you were by the side of a river,
You wouldn't try and follow the water that passes by all the way down.
You'd be watching the water in front of you flowing,
It'd be fresh water every moment.
So too with your thoughts,
No need to follow up or investigate or have any particular interest in each thought,
Just allowing it to come and go.
And by enjoying the flow of thoughts and our awareness is always with the new thought,
The next thought as it arrives and emerges in the mind.
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So rather than running along the side of a river trying to keep up with the flow of the water,
We're just sitting back and relaxing and allowing the water to flow by us.
So not chasing any thought,
Just allowing all thoughts to pass us by.
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And then for a while,
Seeing if I can hold both the breath and the thoughts in the center of my awareness,
Enjoying the flow of the breath in the body and the flow of the thoughts through the mind,
Both flowing freely together.
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