A Place to Rest
Mindfulness Talk
Whirling. Dazed. Unnerved. Busy moments in our day leave us feeling like our thoughts have nowhere to land. Anyone else find yourself longingly looking at the clock to see how close it is to sofa time?!
But, finding a place to rest may be closer than we think. When we comfort a baby, we rock back and forth. An upset child will often swing on a swing or just start running. We seem to instinctively know that our physical body is the gateway to calming the mind. The body-mind connection is the secret sauce.
So how can we access this “secret sauce” during our busy day? Try going into a small space (like a bathroom) and doing one physical movement. In other words, give your whirling thoughts a place in which to rest. After a few minutes, the mind begins to… well…rest! Rest doesn’t have to be an end-of-day finish line. Rest is right there, just waiting to be accessed whenever we are in need.
So, don’t wait until bedtime. Don’t just power through. Go ahead. Find a place in which to rest.
Meditation
Finding Present Meditation:
Find a space where you can sit or stand. Let your eyes get soft and daydreamy. Choose one - only one - body movement.
Bend forward and feel your belly breathe in and out against your legs.
Stand on one foot, feeling the solid earth beneath your shoe as you breathe.
Inhale twist right, exhale twist left, focusing on the feel of your twisting waist.
Think only of that one body part, and breathe.
When you are ready, open your eyes and end here. Or, begin the mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness Meditation:
Lay back or find a comfortable seat.
As you breathe, begin to feel where your body touches the ground. Either notice it piece by piece, section by section. Or notice your body as one whole against the ground. Just breathe and notice. Don’t be surprised if a thought or memory or emotion arises. Don’t try to push it out, just notice it until that thought or memory or emotion slowly sinks into the ground. Then go back to feeling your body against the earth and breathing.
Closing Routine:
When you are ready, rub fingers together a and take three cleansing breaths. Or find a closing routine that works for you.
