Do this mindfulness meditation and learn how to simply watch your thoughts float away.
• Get comfortable. Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
• Set your timer for 12 minutes.
• Close your eyes and take some slow deep breaths, in and out.
• Visualize yourself on a bright, sunny day sitting in a meadow, surrounded by dandelions that have gone to seed and become round, white, fuzzy puffs.
• Visualize yourself picking a dandelion and holding it in front of your face.
• When a thought comes, picture that thought outside of you on the dandelion.
• Inhale slowly and deeply, and exhale strongly, blowing the white seeds, your thoughts, into the breeze. (Note: Even though the dandelion is visualized, do breathe deeply in and out as if actually blowing away the seeds.)
• Observe your thoughts floating away, up into the sky and out of sight. Don’t follow them or try to force them out of your head. Just watch them float.
• “Pick” a new flower and repeat the process until the timer sounds. Continue longer if you wish.
• Your thoughts might come faster than you are blowing them away, especially at first. That’s okay. Keep breathing, blowing, and watching your thoughts float away.
Anxiety often prevents us from having fun, so let’s add a playful component to this exercise. Instead of visualizing a dandelion puff, physically blow bubbles and watch as your thoughts float and pop away.
Comments