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Expert GuidanceNoting

Noting

A fundamental technique that helps to keep thoughts and feelings in proportion.

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Sometimes when we're meditating and we realize the mind's wandered off, we might not know how to react. Noting gives us some very clear direction, perhaps a greater sense of clarity and confidence. In that moment, we pause and identify the nature of the distraction. "Oh yeah, thinking," or "Oh, feeling." Having noted, there's a sense of having dealt with it. This makes it easier to let go of the distraction and gently return to the object of focus. And when it happens again, which it will, we simply apply the same approach, gently noting the nature of the distraction. Now when we begin noting, the temptation is to try and catch every single thought and feeling but that quickly becomes tiring. We only need note the distraction when we realize that we've been lost in thought, and even then it's a very gentle acknowledgement. Imagine it a little less like whack-a-mole and a little more like a feather, softly being placed on a fine crystal glass. So noting is when we recognize the mind has wandered. We acknowledge it, gently note the nature of distraction, let it go, and then effortlessly return to the object of focus....

Details

TypeExpert Guidance
Duration1 min

About your teachers

  • A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.

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  • Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.

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  • As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.

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  • Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.

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  • Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.

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