Noting,
A mindful practice.
This gentle mindfulness exercise will show you how to reduce anxiety with the noting practice.
At the end there will be 5 minutes of soft wind sounds when you can simply breathe and be calm.
You can use this exercise at any time,
Or while drifting off to sleep.
Find a time when you will not be disturbed and sit or lay down,
Making yourself as comfortable as possible.
Rest your hands over your stomach and take a few deep breaths,
Begin to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Just make the exhale longer than the inhale as you listen to the gentle sound of the breeze.
Allow your awareness to just travel down your body,
From your head to your feet.
If your attention begins to stray,
Don't worry,
Just note that you are thinking.
If you want,
You can say to yourself,
This is thinking.
If a physical sensation lingers,
Note this as feeling.
Say to yourself,
This is feeling.
See if you can take note of any distractions,
As if from a distance,
Like a person taking notes of something that is happening but without getting too involved.
When an emotion or thought arises,
Just look at it from the outside.
It may be worry,
Sadness,
Anger.
Simply note it down in your mind clearly as those emotions.
Do not judge yourself for feeling it or dwell on it,
Simply recognise it,
Note it and then return to awareness of your breath,
Inhaling and exhaling.
Don't be concerned about the emotion or the distraction,
Or that you can't immediately separate yourself from it,
That comes with practice.
Just breathe.
Feel the breath in your mouth,
In your nose,
The gentle rise and fall of your stomach.
Allow yourself to be present for the breathing for a moment.
Now,
Think a little about how you noted the emotions and feelings.
This is about acknowledging they are there and accepting them.
Sometimes we can push these things away and hide them as we go about our daily lives,
But there is a kind of freedom in noting them and knowing they are part of being human.
It gives you a certain amount of power over them,
Rather than them having power over you.
As time goes on,
We can learn to be the observer of them and distance ourselves a little from being within them.
When doing this exercise,
Just note whether these things are thoughts or feelings.
You might want to imagine holding them up as if they are in a little box with the name written on them.
Anger,
Stress,
Pain.
Look at the box and then put it down,
Or see the names of these emotions or thoughts drifting past you.
Read the names and then let them drift off,
Or just be aware that they are there.
Return to your breathing.
Listen to the sound of the wind as those thoughts and feelings become more distant.
During this mindfulness practice,
You have been present and also been relaxing,
And this is helpful for both your mental and physical health.
Simply breathe now and listen to the wind.
