Turning off our thoughts, by turning on our senses

Mindfulness Talk:

I often wish for an easy little off-switch for my thoughts.  Trying to fall asleep but thinking through that embarrassing moment…  Snap. Off.  Trying to find the vibe at yoga class but worst-mom-ever thoughts keep poking in…  Done. AH.   Trying to have a nice evening with the hubs…  Click, switch, ready.  

First of all, notice how each example begins with “trying” and ends with a magic switch that isn’t trying at all?  Hmmm.  Perhaps there is something in between panicked hard work and no work.  In traditional meditation, there is something called Tapas, which is the idea of developing a discipline, or routine, to burn away those thought patterns.    

If we have a desire to rid ourselves of habits that aren’t serving us (like those damn thought patterns) then developing a routine or discipline really is that sweet spot between panicked hard work and no work.  And the burning gets easier and easier and works better and better each time we do it.

Ready to burn some thoughts away? Below is a sense-memory meditation. Like muscle memory, sense-memory uses our memory of what a sense feels like on the body. Can you guess? Yep, we’re going to use heat!

Meditation

Finding Present Meditation:

Note: Don’t worry about trying to turn off any thought patterns this first time. Don’t worry about how long you do this for - one minute of a finding present meditation feels so good! Remember that this is the first day of a new discipline/routine.

Close your eyes (or soften your gaze like you are daydreaming). Begin to imagine the feel of something warm on your skin.  Maybe laying on a beach? Or in front of a fireplace? Just breathe and feel the heat.

When you are ready, open your eyes and end here.  Or, begin the mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness Meditation:

Continue breathing and feeling the heat.

Now imagine the feel of something cold on your skin.  Maybe a wave of cold water tickling your toes that takes your breathe away for a second?  Or a cold breeze that brings instant goose-bumps to your skin?

Now go back and forth between the warm feeling and the cold feeling. Just breathe and imagine and feel. Don’t be surprised if a thought pattern enters your mind. Just acknowledge it and focus on the heat and the cold - eventually the thought will burn up or freeze up.

End here, or try another sense memory.

Imagine something warm. Maybe the feel of entering a hot tub? Just breathe and feel the heat. Now imagine the feel of something cold on your skin.  Maybe a cool drink placed in your hand? Go back and forth between the warm feeling and the cold feeling. Just breathe and imagine and feel. Don’t be surprised if a thought pattern enters your mind. Just breathe and feel.

End here, or try another sense memory.

Imagine something warm. Maybe the feel of hot cocoa in your hands? Just breathe and feel the heat. Now imagine the feel of something cold on your skin.  Maybe a cool blanket placed on your back? Go back and forth between the warm feeling and the cold feeling. Just breathe and imagine and feel. Don’t be surprised if a thought pattern enters your mind. Just breathe and feel.

Closing Routine:

When you are ready, rub fingers together and take three cleansing breaths. Or use any closing routine that works for you.