Storylines

It's very easy to become fixated on the storylines in our mind, to lose ourselves inwardly, but the moment we do, we exclude the entire world and everyone within it from our life. So very often, as we're living our life, we're not necessarily present with the world and the people around us. Instead, we're, we're caught up with storylines, the things that we tell ourselves, the conversations that we have internally. Often, these storylines aren't even true. You know, they're just stories that we've told ourselves so many times we find it hard to think it could be otherwise or we find it difficult to step out of that kind of thinking. But as long as we're living inside that very limited space, then we're missing out on the relationships with the people around us, but also, the relationship with the wider world, our perception of the world around us. So whenever you can, just taking the opportunity to step out of those storylines, letting them go, and just being present with whatever's happening right now. So just making sure that you're sitting comfortably, that you're not going to be disturbed in any way, just beginning by taking a few big, deep breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. And with the next out breath, closing the eyes, just feeling the weight of the body press down. Aware of that point of contact. Feeling the weight of the arms, the hands, and the weight of the legs and the feet just pressing down into the floor. And at the same time, just becoming more familiar with the space around you, just settling back into the different sounds. Not thinking about them, just noticing as they come and go. And at the same time, noticing how the body feels right now. Starting at the top of the head, just gently scanning down through the body. Not stopping in any one place. Evenly scanning all the way down towards the toes. Just building up a picture of how the body feels. So you probably already noticed that movement of breath and the body, that rising and falling sensation. Just noticing where in the body you feel that movement. Noticing the rhythm of the breath without changing it in any way at all. And just resting the mind on that sensation. The only thing you need to remember is if at any stage the mind gets distracted, in realizing that distraction, just letting it go and gently bringing the attention back to that movement again. And remember, you can count the breaths as they pass if you find that easier. And gently bringing the attention back to the breath each time. And as you begin to let go of any focus on the breath, just starting to become more aware, that feeling of contact, the weight of the body. More aware of the space around you, any sounds, and then when you're ready, just opening the eyes again....