Happy PhD,
Shifting Gears Meditation.
This meditation will help you relax and calm your mind.
If you practice this meditation regularly,
You will notice your ability to focus improve.
You also notice it becomes easier to disengage from work and relax at the end of the day.
Sit down in a comfortable position,
On a chair or cross-legged on the floor.
Make sure your back is straight.
Close your eyes and allow yourself to relax.
For the next 20 minutes,
You don't have to do anything.
You can drop anything your mind is busy with.
If you're thinking about work,
Just let it go.
It doesn't need your attention right now.
If you're thinking about all the things you still need to do today,
Let it go for now.
You can do all those things after you've finished the meditation.
If you find yourself worrying or ruminating or problem solving,
Remind yourself that you don't have to figure anything out right now.
You can figure it out later.
All you have to do is sit here and allow yourself to be.
Allow your mind to relax.
Allow it to become calm.
This is a process you can actively participate in.
Our minds tend to be busy,
Especially when we have been doing challenging mental work.
And that's okay.
But you don't have to get entangled in these thoughts.
Whenever they arise,
You can choose to not buy into them.
Instead,
You can bring your attention back to what is happening right now.
So now,
Shift gears.
Shift from the mental realm to the realm of physical sensations.
What do you feel as you sit here?
Where do you feel your breath?
What does your breath feel like?
Feel it.
Watch it.
That's all you need to do.
Every moment,
Bringing your attention back to your breathing.
Feel it flowing in and out.
With every breath,
Your full attention.
Now expand your awareness to include your whole body.
How does your body feel?
Travel down through your body to your feet.
Can you feel where your feet touch the floor?
Really explore the feelings in the feet.
Feel the soles of the feet,
The sides of the feet and the top of the feet.
As if you go inside,
Feel your feet as a whole.
Feel feel warmth or coldness or tingling or other sensations in the feet.
And from your feet,
Move upwards.
Feel your ankles.
Feel your calves.
Feel your shins.
What do your lower legs feel like as a whole?
Now bring your attention to your knees.
To the front of the knees and the back of the knees.
Explore your knees.
Bring friendly attention to them.
And further upwards,
Feel your upper legs.
The back of the legs and the front of the legs.
Feel the whole leg.
Moving onto your hips,
Your pelvis,
Your lower back.
Allow your awareness to completely fill this part of your body.
This is an area where many people collect stress and tension.
If this is the case for you,
Breathe into this tension or tightness or discomfort.
Relax this part of the body.
Further up,
Feel your belly.
Feel how it rises and falls with your breathing.
And allow your chest to be open.
Feel the area of your heart.
Further up,
Feel your shoulders.
Are they tight?
Let them drop a little further on each out breath.
Imagine the tension releasing,
Letting go.
Now explore your neck.
Feel the back of the neck.
What does it feel like?
And what about your throat?
Can you allow your throat to be soft and relaxed?
Further up,
Feel your face as a whole.
Is there any tension in your face?
Let it go.
Let it relax.
Release the wrinkles in your forehead.
Let your face be mellow.
Feel your eyes.
Allow your eyes to become soft.
And now,
Feel your head as a whole.
Does it feel heavy?
Really feel what your head feels like.
Think into that feeling.
From here,
Allow your awareness to expand.
Let it fill your whole body.
Experience what it's like to sit here.
Experience what it's like to be you right now.
Where do you feel sensations?
Do you feel comfort?
Discomfort?
Maybe you're holding on to something which creates tension.
See if you can loosen your grip.
Give yourself permission to let go of whatever you're holding on to.
You don't need to carry anything right now.
Put it down.
Let it go.
Keep focusing on what you feel in your body.
As you sit here,
Still doing nothing.
It can be a real relief to give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing.
Do nothing fully.
Become empty.
You don't have to think about anything.
You don't have to reflect on anything.
Worry about anything.
Analyze anything.
Fix or change anything.
Everything is taken care of.
Just sitting here doing nothing is the only thing you need to be doing right now.
But do stay alert.
Stay present.
Stay awake.
Stay connected to what's happening in this moment and in this one.
You are still aware of how you are sitting here.
And what it feels like.
Every time thoughts appear,
No matter how compelling.
Watch them but don't engage with them.
Allow them to be and allow them to dissolve.
To help you do this,
Keep coming back to your breathing or to your body.
Your attention is on the physical sensations of the breath or of parts of your body or in your body as a whole.
You don't have to get anywhere.
You don't have to do anything.
Being attention to your breathing and what you're feeling is enough.
Be fully aware of what is happening right now.
In this moment.
It is enough.
You are enough.
Right now.
Allow your experience to be exactly as it is.
There is no need to react.
There is no need to change anything.
Focus yourself in your experience.
For the last minute of this meditation,
Pay attention fully.
Pay attention to the physical sensations of your breathing.
The sensations you feel in your body.
Pay attention to each moment.
Give it your best.
As this meditation comes to an end,
You will be able to relax.
As this meditation comes to a close,
Be pleased with yourself for practicing this meditation.
Sitting still and doing nothing are sometimes the best way to move forward.
It's a practice.
It's a practice in which you give your mind a break and allow it to relax and re-energize.
Even if it doesn't feel like it,
You are creating positive changes.
So be pleased with yourself.
Your brain says thank you.
