MIDL Skill: Calming Mental Activity

In this meditation, Stephen Procter will guide you in the insight meditation skill of abandoning all participation through developing sensitivity to mental activity and softening the desire 'to do' to develop the experience of deep stillness of mind.

Transcript

And during this mindfulness training we will develop the skill of calming our mental activity through abandoning.

If you just start out by taking your meditation posture and closing your eyes over lightly,

Start to be aware of what it feels like just to be here.

Start with speaking for a minute through left arm starting Seeker's Porsche A prow that the race official signs as Seeker Muslim calmer before middle of the Becoming aware of any sounds around you.

Allowing the change within the sound to hold your attention.

Becoming aware of any sounds around you.

Slowly bringing your awareness into your body.

Becoming aware of what it feels like just to sit here.

Becoming aware of any warmth or coolness within your body,

Holding them gently in mind.

Becoming aware of any sounds around you.

Becoming aware of any sounds around you.

Now allow your breathing to happen naturally,

Then control it in any way.

Becoming aware of the gentle movement of this breathing within your body.

Becoming aware of any sounds around you.

Becoming aware of any sounds around you.

Becoming aware of any sounds around you.

Allow your awareness to sink within your body,

Around the area of the center of your chest.

Allow your awareness to sink within your body,

Around the area of the center of your chest.

Allowing your awareness to sit within,

Relaxed in this place.

Don't mentally do anything.

Don't mentally do anything.

Just noticing that as your breath comes in,

Your body feels expanding outwards.

And as your breath goes out,

Your body deflates relaxing inwards.

And as your breath goes out,

Your body deflates relaxing inwards.

Anytime that you find that you mentally engage,

That you have the desire to do anything at all,

Relax that doing,

Soften that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Keep observing and relaxing any desire to do,

Any desire to act.

And allow yourself to mentally sink deeper and deeper,

Deeper into not doing.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

If you find yourself drawn towards thinking,

Relax into the desire to think.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

If you get drawn into a sound,

Soften,

Relax into the desire to hear.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Allow my voice to fade into the background.

Allow yourself to soften deeper into your body.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Present within the center of your body.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Notice any effort you are making within your body.

Allowing the floor or the chair to take the full weight of your body.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Allowing your shoulders to drop.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Your chest and belly to release.

Your breathing to flow naturally within your body.

Notice any mental tension,

The desire to do.

Relax that desire.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Notice any thinking within your mind.

Relax the effort to think.

Allow it to drift,

To float away.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Notice any mental activity at all.

Any doing.

Soften,

Relax and just be.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Now gently move your awareness in between your eyes.

Notice that point,

Notice any mental tightness or tension you feel there.

Allow it to relax.

Allow your awareness to sink within that point.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Deeper into peace.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Just keep relaxing,

Softening any desire to do.

Keeping awareness on the point between your eyes.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Notice its beauty,

Its simplicity.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Abandoning all effort,

Calming all effort.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Calming all effort,

Just be with what is.

Calm.

Calm.

Calming all effort,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Still.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Relax that doing,

Just be with what is.

Becoming aware of the touch of your body on the chair or the floor.

Aware of your whole body just sitting here.

Starting to become aware of any sounds around you.

And allowing those sounds to come into you.

And allowing those sounds to come into you.

And allowing those sounds to come into you.

And when you're ready you can gently open your eyes.

And when you're ready you can gently open your eyes.

Thank you for spending this time meditating with me.

Take care of yourself.

And have a wonderful day.

And goodbye.

Reviews

One of my favorites from this amazing teacher. It might be helpful to do Letting "Go of Intentions" " first. This meditation helps me to settle my mind by softening into and letting go of thoughts, until I can maintain awareness on one point. Il be doing this regularly for a while. Thank you.

Deep calm and relaxation of thr thoughts. With each session I learn something new. Thankyou Sthephen

It worked well for me. Good balance of talking and quiet.

Very relaxing

I always have a new experience meditating with Stephen’s guided meditation.

Wow… this was a novel experience. Learnt so much. Will definitely repeat multiple times.

I found this practice to help me let go of doing and peace was all that remained. Thanks Stephen.

Wow! Fantastic! Coincided with a book based course that encouraged getting quiet to hear inner guidance. Thank you, absolutely perfect and energetically uplifting!

Happy new year, and thank you for this experience 🌈

Thank you Stephen.

Very peaceful! Thanks 🙏🏻

Stephen, your absolute presence in this guidance invites me into my own absolute presence and stillness. Thank you! 🙏

It is very good with enough silence. I love new version of these practices. Thank you Stephen.

This was a real harbour for the soul. Thank-you 🙏

Excellent. I have been going through a lot of emotions lately and this was just what I needed to calm the thoughts and quiet the emotional responses. Very soothing instruction with nice quiet pauses to sink deeper. Thank you Stephen. ☮️💖🙏

Absolutely brilliant

Abandoning all effort will be my motto today