Open Focus: Watching Thoughts Come And Go

Open Focus: Naming the Shape of Thought

In this Open Focus exercise, you will learn a simple way to relate to thoughts without getting pulled into them.

Using awareness of your hands and the space around you as an anchor, you will allow thoughts to arise naturally and briefly identify their "shape" with a single word, such as planning, searching, rehearsing, worrying, or remembering. Rather than analysing the content of a thought, you learn to recognise what the mind is doing and gently return to a broader awareness.

Many people discover that thoughts lose some of their urgency when they are seen as mental events rather than facts that require immediate attention.

This practice can help reduce mental overactivity, create a greater sense of calm, and develop the ability to step back from repetitive thinking. Suitable for anyone experiencing stress, anxiety, rumination, or a busy mind.

Transcript

Put your hands on your legs. Close your eyes. And feel your right hand first. Feel what your right hand is touching now. And feel your left hand. What your left hand is touching. Now feel both hands at the same time. Right and left and left and right at the same time. And now feel the space between your hands. The distance between your hands. And feel the space around your hands, Above and below, All around your hands. Your hands resting in space. Now become a wall of space in the room. Empty space in the whole room. Just allow it to be there. The space in front of you. Above you. Behind you. All around you empty space. Feel your hands within this space. Now while you work your hands and space around them and the space in the whole room, Allow the vote to come. Don't look for any particular fault, But just the load. A random thought to come. Which has allowed your mind to do what it does. And when the fourth arrives notice its shape Not the content, But the shape. Is it searching for something this fault? Is it planning? Is the rehearsing. Is it telling you that you are running out of time? One word is enough, Just name its shape. Searching, Planning, Escaping, Rehearsing. Just name each shape and then return to your hands. Both hands at the same time and space between them and around them your hands and space in the room while you still aware of this thought and notice the thought Gradually fading away while you are of space. Okay, And let another foot come, Just let it come and name its shape. What does Ford want to do? One word. And while this thought is still playing in your head, Playing in your mind, Return to your hands and space. The thought arrived, You named it and you returned. Your hands warm and heavy. The space in the room around you open and still You allow your thoughts come. And you let them be. You let them play in your mind. You name the shape with one word. And you become aware of space again. You are here. The fault is not you, It arrived, You named it, And you return. The space all around you, Empty space, It's been here the whole time. And rest with the space for a little longer No effort, No direction. Your body, Your hands, Empty space. Still, Soft and steady. And when you are ready, Bring your awareness back to your hands. Move your fingers gently. And open your eyes. Thank you.