Mindfulness of Breath, Body, Sounds, Thoughts, Feelings and Choiceless Awareness Review
Over the first four sessions, we've spent a lot of time going over techniques to manage
various challenges that come up while meditating, such as distractions or a wandering mind or physical discomfort. If you wish to spend some time reviewing these, you'll find a summary from Lesson 3 here and from Lesson 2 here (links open in a new window).
If you found yourself distracted during this meditation, or any time you meditate, it's important to remember that mindfulness meditation isn't about having a particular type
of experience:
- You're not trying to keep your mind completely blank
- You're not trying to maintain an unwavering concentration on a single object
- You're not striving for anything, and there's no:
- good or bad
- right or wrong
- success or failure
- All of your experiences are equally valid
Mindfulness meditation is simply about noticing whatever your experience is from moment to moment, and accepting that
experience non-judgmentally.
Regardless of for how long you've been meditating:
- There will always be
times when you're relatively distracted and it seems like you mind is constantly wandering
- There will always be times when your mind is agitated and won't settle down and your thoughts keep racing
- There will always be times when you get impatient or frustrated or annoyed
and judgmental with yourself
And when this happens, simply be mindful of your experience:
- Acknowledge that you're distracted, or agitated, or frustrated
- Bring your awareness to what it
feels likes to be distracted, or agitated, or frustrated
- Notice how you're reacting to being distracted, or agitated, or frustrated
- Assume a stance of gentle investigative attention and curiosity to whatever your experience is: to your thoughts, feelings and body sensations
Most importantly, bring a kindness towards yourself and your experience. Treat your experience, and especially yourself, non-judgmentally and with acceptance.