In this episode we’re going to really break down what’s happening in a formal mindfulness session so that you can see how simple the process actually is. Hopefully this demystifies mindfulness meditation for you and makes it feel even more accessible.

In simplest terms, mindfulness is about focusing and noticing.

We practice formal mindfulness meditation by focusing on the sensation of our breathing. With our breath as our anchor, we notice whatever is happening in our present moment, both internally (thoughts, emotions, body sensations) and externally (anything your 5 senses notice). And we do all this with a general attitude of kindness and curiosity.

Internally, you might notice…

💭 Thoughts

* Thoughts about the future - “I wonder how much traffic there will be today.”

* Thoughts about the past - “I can’t believe I messed up that line in my audition.”

* Thoughts about the present - “I wish that leaf blower would stop.”

😩 Emotions or moods (perhaps associate with those thoughts)

* Dreading the traffic, worrying you might be late for an audition or work.

* Shame or self-doubt about whatever happened in that audition.

* Irritation about the sound of the leaf blower.

👤 Body sensations

* Tension in your neck and shoulders.

* An itch on your elbow.

* A rumbling in your stomach because you skipped breakfast.

Externally, you might notice…

Pretty much anything your 5 senses perceive

* The sound of an airplane going over head.

* The sight of a candle if you use one as a focus object, or changes in the light you perceive through your closed eye lids.

* The feel of your clothing on your skin.

* The smell of the lotion you just put on your hands.

* The leftover taste of your morning coffee in your mouth.

A Potentially Busy Present Moment

As we’re focusing on our breath in mindfulness meditation, there’s A LOT potentially trying to get (and keep) our attention.

And that’s fine. That is just what’s present in this moment for us.

The trick is just to notice whatever is present in this moment without allowing anything to completely take over our mind, causing us to completely drop our focus on our breath.

When that happens it’s as if that thought, mood, sensation, or sense perception has claimed “center stage” of our mind. It’s hogging the microphone and not sharing the spotlight.

This is going to happen.

It’s no big deal.

There will be times during a mindfulness session when a thought or sensation will completely hijack our attention. Our mind wanders completely away from the present moment.

When you notice that your mind completely wanders away…

…gently guide your focus back to the experience of breathing.

The key word here is gently.

Gently Fade The Mic

Think of your wandering mind like an excited actor who has just won an award. They’re caught up in the moment and eager to thank everyone they’ve ever met. But if we let them say everything they’ve every wanted to say, we’d be here all night.

They’ve had their moment of acknowledgement and it’s time to get the show back on track.

But do two burly security guards grab the actor roughly and haul them off stage?

Does the crowd berate them, yelling, “Get off the stage! You’re ruining the show!”?

Of course not.

Very gently, the orchestra begins to play, alerting the actor to “wrap it up.” If the actor continues much longer, eventually their mic volume simple fades out and the emcee continues the show.

It’s simple. It’s gentle. It’s effective.

That’s the level of gentleness I want you to use with your wandering mind.

At various times through out your mindfulness session, your mind is going to get caught up in thoughts, emotions, and/or sensations. When that happens there’s no need to beat yourself up.

Just gently “fade the mic” on that distraction and “bring up the mic” on your breath.

Even if your mind is chaotic AF and wanders a lot…

* “Ugh, what if I tanked that audition?” --> “Oh, I’m having thoughts about that audition…let me come back to my breath”

* “Ugh, I’m SO TENSE! I just can’t relax!” --> “Oh, I’m really struggling with this tension…let me come back to my breath”

* “Ugh, that leaf blower is so annoying! Grrr!” --> “Oh, I’m hearing a sound that I perceive as unpleasant…let me come back to my breath”

Rinse and repeat, over and over, throughout the session.

1000 times if needed. ❤️

Which is what we are going to practice in the next episode.

Thank you so much for joining me! If you found this content helpful and inspiring, I’d be honored if you’d leave a comment, share it with your actor pals, and check out my offerings below. Thanks!

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