Welcome to today’s POD, a guided meditation designed to guide your learning in how to observe all the chattering of your mind. We often get sucked into, overwhelmed, and paralyzed, by the vortex of chatter and activity of our minds. Today’s POD will show you that does not have to be the case. You will be shown a new vantage point to observe the chaos. And from this new view begin to train your brain to observe your thoughts with an accepting, relaxing, and quieting mind.
Cheers,
Hank
CC Transcript Below
CC Transcript
1
00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,000
Guided meditation for overthinking and compulsion.
2
00:00:05,000 –> 00:00:09,000
3
00:00:09,000 –> 00:00:12,000
Okay, so yesterday we did that old body scan,
4
00:00:12,000 –> 00:00:16,000
we got one from our toes to our ears
5
00:00:16,000 –> 00:00:22,000
and got everything moving and becoming aware of how things are feeling.
6
00:00:22,000 –> 00:00:26,000
Today we’re going to be checking in with the mind.
7
00:00:26,000 –> 00:00:29,050
Yes, today is for a lot of people the first real
8
00:00:29,050 –> 00:00:31,000
mindfulness training we’re doing, right?
9
00:00:31,000 –> 00:00:32,050
So what’s mindfulness all about?
10
00:00:32,050 –> 00:00:36,050
It’s about understanding the mind and gaining new tools and insights
11
00:00:36,050 –> 00:00:40,050
to this thing right here, right?
12
00:00:40,050 –> 00:00:42,000
But as we’ve already learned
13
00:00:42,000 –> 00:00:46,000
there are so many external physical things that influence
14
00:00:46,000 –> 00:00:50,000
and have a way and affect and play a role on where we’re at mentally.
15
00:00:50,000 –> 00:00:53,070
So last time those were easier to get to,
16
00:00:53,070 –> 00:00:57,070
but today we’re going to go with our
17
00:00:57,070 –> 00:01:02,020
first exercise – observing what’s going on mentally.
18
00:01:02,020 –> 00:01:06,020
So take a minute, again, pause if you need to.
19
00:01:06,020 –> 00:01:10,020
Get into the posture of your desire today, it really doesn’t matter.
20
00:01:10,020 –> 00:01:14,020
Walking might be a little more difficult with this one.
21
00:01:14,020 –> 00:01:18,070
Eyes open might be a little more difficult to for this practice,
22
00:01:18,070 –> 00:01:22,040
particularly early on, eyes closed, in a seated kneeling
23
00:01:22,040 –> 00:01:26,010
or lying posture is generally easier and better.
24
00:01:26,010 –> 00:01:30,110
But you make a call, okay?
25
00:01:35,010 –> 00:01:39,010
26
00:01:39,010 –> 00:01:43,010
27
00:01:43,010 –> 00:01:47,010
28
00:01:47,010 –> 00:01:51,010
Alright, welcome back. So today’s practice is called
29
00:01:51,010 –> 00:01:54,010
“Herding the Cats”
30
00:01:54,010 –> 00:01:58,010
and let’s begin herding those cats by taking a nice deep breath in,
31
00:01:58,010 –> 00:02:01,010
exhale,
32
00:02:01,010 –> 00:02:05,010
it’s time to turn that On switch Off.
33
00:02:05,010 –> 00:02:09,010
Let go of all the other things that we’ve been going on
34
00:02:09,010 –> 00:02:12,010
for the day and just spend a couple of minutes
35
00:02:12,010 –> 00:02:15,010
just checking in on the cats, okay.
36
00:02:15,010 –> 00:02:19,010
Also going to give yourself permission when we maybe start chasing
37
00:02:19,010 –> 00:02:22,010
rabbits, instead of herding cats.
38
00:02:22,010 –> 00:02:26,010
Now take a nice deep breath and it we’ll come back to where we want to be.
39
00:02:26,010 –> 00:02:30,010
Take a nice deep breath in,
40
00:02:30,010 –> 00:02:31,080
exhale,
41
00:02:31,080 –> 00:02:35,420
we’re going to do a a quick toes to ears and check to see
42
00:02:35,520 –> 00:02:39,000
if you have any tension anywhere.
43
00:02:39,000 –> 00:02:43,000
If we do, we’re taking a nice deep breath in
44
00:02:43,000 –> 00:02:49,000
and send that breath where the tension is and let it go.
45
00:02:49,000 –> 00:02:52,050
46
00:02:52,050 –> 00:02:56,050
Take a nice deep breath in,
47
00:02:56,050 –> 00:03:02,050
and send it where that tension is and let it go.
48
00:03:02,050 –> 00:03:04,050
49
00:03:04,050 –> 00:03:08,050
Alright, so we’ve got that breath now on automatic pilot – that diaphragm
50
00:03:08,050 –> 00:03:11,000
is starting to figure out what it needs to do,
51
00:03:11,000 –> 00:03:13,000
so we’re not even have to worry about our breath.
52
00:03:13,000 –> 00:03:15,050
We’re not even getting checking with our breath.
53
00:03:15,050 –> 00:03:17,050
We’re in a nice comfortable posture,
54
00:03:17,050 –> 00:03:19,050
so we’re just going to settle in
55
00:03:19,050 –> 00:03:23,000
and we’re going to go to our thoughts.
56
00:03:23,000 –> 00:03:27,000
So your eyes closed or covered.
57
00:03:27,000 –> 00:03:31,000
Just check them. Let’s take a mountain top view
58
00:03:31,000 –> 00:03:35,050
and watch those old westerns and the Cowboys
59
00:03:35,050 –> 00:03:39,050
pull up on that ridgeline, they look down on all their cattle
60
00:03:39,050 –> 00:03:43,050
or sheep whatever it might be, we’re going to look down on our mental cats.
61
00:03:43,050 –> 00:03:48,020
You might feel like a time you’re just in the middle of herd of all these cats.
62
00:03:48,020 –> 00:03:52,020
And they’re run and run and you’re trying to grab all these different thoughts
63
00:03:52,020 –> 00:03:55,070
these thoughts or these cats, they’re all going
64
00:03:55,070 –> 00:03:57,090
wherever they want to go, there not on getting in line,
65
00:03:57,090 –> 00:03:59,065
it’s making it real hard to focus.
66
00:03:59,065 –> 00:04:01,065
That’s okay, because right now,
67
00:04:01,065 –> 00:04:05,065
we’re not going to try to catch them, we’re not going to try to hurt them.
68
00:04:05,065 –> 00:04:09,065
I just want you to step back,
69
00:04:09,065 –> 00:04:13,015
and observe for the next few minutes,
70
00:04:13,015 –> 00:04:17,015
all you’re going to do is observe
71
00:04:17,015 –> 00:04:19,015
all of the different thoughts,
72
00:04:19,015 –> 00:04:21,065
or the loops, you find yourself in.
73
00:04:21,065 –> 00:04:25,065
It’s not right or wrong. In a way you can think of this is –
74
00:04:25,065 –> 00:04:27,015
Day Dreaming.
75
00:04:27,015 –> 00:04:31,015
But not Day Dreaming in the sense of
76
00:04:31,015 –> 00:04:36,015
just going off and losing yourself in the next couple of minutes.
77
00:04:36,015 –> 00:04:41,015
But stepping back and watching your mind work,
78
00:04:41,015 –> 00:04:45,015
and watch the thoughts and the ideas
79
00:04:45,015 –> 00:04:46,035
that come up into your mind.
80
00:04:46,035 –> 00:04:49,085
No judgment, no labeling, it’s not good or bad,
81
00:04:49,085 –> 00:04:51,035
all you’re doing is observing.
82
00:04:51,035 –> 00:04:54,035
Take a deep breath in,
83
00:04:54,035 –> 00:04:57,085
exhale
84
00:04:57,085 –> 00:05:00,945
and observe.
85
00:05:04,085 –> 00:05:08,080
86
00:05:08,085 –> 00:05:12,085
87
00:05:12,085 –> 00:05:16,085
88
00:05:16,085 –> 00:05:19,085
89
00:05:19,085 –> 00:05:23,085
Alright, so what’re you seeing?
90
00:05:23,085 –> 00:05:27,085
What’re are you observing?
91
00:05:27,085 –> 00:05:31,085
Are you distracted by this thought to that thought jumping all over?
92
00:05:31,085 –> 00:05:39,085
May be you got a loop that’s just playing over and over.
93
00:05:39,085 –> 00:05:41,095
Sit back and observe
94
00:05:41,095 –> 00:05:50,045
where your mind is going to go next?
95
00:05:50,045 –> 00:05:54,045
Is your mind staying in one tight little spot
96
00:05:54,045 –> 00:06:00,045
wrapped up in a little corner?
97
00:06:00,045 –> 00:06:04,045
Or is it bouncing all over the universe
98
00:06:04,045 –> 00:06:12,045
like the Star Trek Enterprise?
99
00:06:12,045 –> 00:06:16,045
100
00:06:16,045 –> 00:06:20,045
Take a deep breath in,
101
00:06:20,045 –> 00:06:27,045
now on that exhale send it to that thought.
102
00:06:27,045 –> 00:06:31,045
103
00:06:31,045 –> 00:06:35,045
104
00:06:35,045 –> 00:06:39,045
105
00:06:39,045 –> 00:06:43,045
106
00:06:43,045 –> 00:06:48,095
107
00:06:48,095 –> 00:06:53,045
Alright, just take a deep breath in,
108
00:06:53,045 –> 00:07:00,045
exhale
109
00:07:00,045 –> 00:07:02,045
Now again remember today’s practice,
110
00:07:02,045 –> 00:07:06,095
it wasn’t about being right or wrong we’re trying to control any thoughts, okay?
111
00:07:06,095 –> 00:07:11,095
Today we’re simply an observation
112
00:07:11,095 –> 00:07:17,095
of what our mind will do when you just let it run.
113
00:07:17,095 –> 00:07:19,095
Okay, we’re not looking to control it,
114
00:07:19,095 –> 00:07:22,075
remember, it’s not an Olympic sport,
115
00:07:22,075 –> 00:07:24,045
not about emptying the mind.
116
00:07:24,045 –> 00:07:28,075
This is about learning how to observe and cultivate it and do what we want.
117
00:07:28,075 –> 00:07:32,025
So now we observed it.
118
00:07:32,025 –> 00:07:35,055
That’s all we needed to do today.
119
00:07:35,055 –> 00:07:39,005
So take a nice deep breath in,
120
00:07:39,005 –> 00:07:44,005
exhale, let your eyes open up.
121
00:07:44,005 –> 00:07:47,055
We’re going to come back to what we were at.
122
00:07:47,055 –> 00:07:51,055
We’re going to go on and have another great day.
123
00:07:51,055 –> 00:07:55,055
Checking in and slowly building our skills
124
00:07:55,055 –> 00:07:59,055
of mental mastery
125
00:07:59,055 –> 00:08:03,005
mindfulness – whatever you want to call it,
126
00:08:03,005 –> 00:08:07,005
becoming in tune and aware of all the precious gifts and abilities
127
00:08:07,005 –> 00:08:11,005
that we have available to us.
128
00:08:11,005 –> 00:08:13,005
Hope you enjoyed this practice today.
129
00:08:13,005 –> 00:08:17,765
Look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
130
00:08:22,005 –> 00:08:26,000