Welcome to Daily Insight.
My name is Tomek and I'm a teacher here on Insight Timer.
I'm honored that you chose me as your guide.
Today's practice is about learning how to recognize and let go of negative thinking.
Find stillness amidst the chaos of the busy mind.
This meditation is designed to help you when you feel overwhelmed and trapped by negative thoughts.
You will learn how to clear your mind and once again feel yourself.
I wish you a pleasant practice.
Begin by making yourself at ease.
Gently shift your awareness into your body,
Noticing every sensation.
Sit upright with dignity,
Softly looking ahead.
Drop your shoulders away from your ears.
Relax your jaw.
Soften your face.
Allow your eyes to close.
This is a wonderful place to start.
Now move your attention to your breath.
Notice gentle expansion and contraction of your entire body as you breathe in and breathe out.
Tune into this rhythm.
Feel it.
Embrace it.
Now reach out with your imagination.
You are sitting on the bank of a river.
A beautiful morning.
Sun on your face.
Gentle breeze.
As you enjoy the view,
Breathing the crisp,
Refreshing air,
Your mind begins to wander.
A thought,
An emotion shows up on your mental landscape.
A boat appears on the horizon,
Passing from the right to the left.
Your mind is ready to jump on board,
But you choose to stay and watch it instead.
As the boat,
Thought,
Passes,
The river becomes still again,
Except for the gentle current moving forward,
Carrying the usual.
You rest in delight,
Enjoying your time,
Breathing in and breathing out.
Soon enough,
Another boat,
Thought,
Emerges.
And for a moment,
Your mind wants to react,
Engage,
Judge.
And once again,
You choose to sit still,
Observe,
Respond with calm and kindness,
Honoring the turbulence of the mind without getting attached.
The more boats,
Thoughts pass by,
The less you react,
Always bringing your attention back to the stillness of the present moment.
And you continue gazing,
Accepting all the boats that come to your view.
This continues.
And now and then,
Another boat,
Thought,
Comes to your attention,
And once again,
Gently but firmly,
You keep your gaze on the river.
Let them all pass by.
You may not be able to stop your thoughts from coming,
But surely you can accept them for what they are.
As the time passes by,
You become more and more relaxed,
Enjoying the view and the breeze.
And even if another negative thought boat comes to your awareness,
You learn how to accept it for what it is,
Without engaging.
And there's a comfort in observing without judgment,
Accepting without stressing out about what comes next.
And now it's time to return.
Begin by noticing your feet resting on the floor.
Feel sensations in your hands.
With your eyes closed,
Recognize the room around you.
Also gently and calmly,
Turn your head to the left.
Feel the muscles in your neck stretching and flexing.
Turn your head to the right.
Back to the center.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes and welcome back.
Thank you so much for meditating with me.
I hope you enjoyed this practice.
I wish you a wonderful day.
