Ready to take control of your thoughts?

While I was meditating this morning I remembered a new concept I'd learned... It's about perceiving thinking as an additional sense.

I think it was in the book The Antidote, Happiness for People who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking, (which I highly recommend, btw).

The author brings in different philosophies and people who talk about the illusion of the self and how our thoughts can get us into trouble if we take them too seriously.

Anyway, my favorite kind of meditation, besides moving of course, is open awareness meditation, where I just let my awareness be open to the ever changing input I’m receiving from the environment through my nervous system, touching each sensation lightly with my awareness and then letting it go.

It was cool to think about each thought emerging out of nowhere, as sensory information only coming from within, just like the passing sound of a car engine in the distance, a whiff of my essential oil, the sensing of cool air stream on my bare foot, or the touch of my hand on my belly.

So much easier to let go!

Next time you have a few moments to practice some self-care, try this:

Sit, lie down or take a walk. Whatever you do, make sure you’re comfortable.

Set the intention to just be and notice with an open awareness.

Notice what’s happening around you without commenting on it.

When you notice a thought, see if you can let it float away, without judgment.

Then let it go and go back to being and noticing.

Feel free to report back on your experience or save this for when you need some time to renew and recharge.