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How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
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In this meditation, we'll practice stepping back from our thoughts, letting them come and go, so that they (or we) start to settle and relax.
Today, we're going to work with relaxing our thoughts. So if you haven't already done so, you can find a comfortable posture. And invite the eyes to close, if that feels okay for you. But you don't have to. Sometimes closing the eyes when we're anxious can make us more anxious.
So do what feels comfortable for you. We'll start by tuning into the sound of the bell. Let's take a nice deep breath together. In through the nose. And slowly out through the mouth.
Inviting the jaw to soften, so that the teeth are no longer clenched. Letting the shoulders be at ease, as much as they're willing to be. And letting the belly soften. And any other part of the body that might be holding tension or gripping in even the slightest or subtlest of ways. We'll settle our attention on our breathing, similar to what we did yesterday.
And if you want to place one hand on your belly, you can. Now a lot of times when we're experiencing anxiety, our thoughts are all over the place and they can feel really powerful and strong, like they have control over us. The tendency is to push those thoughts or to change them or get rid of them, or to get mad at them. We're going to practice something different here. Instead of pushing them, we're just going to watch them as if we were watching cars driving down the highway or watching clouds pass through the sky.
So when you're ready, just start to notice what thoughts are moving through your mind right now. No matter how anxious or nervous or worrisome they may be, you're just kind of watching them. Just another thought. Just another cloud. Letting your body be totally at ease.
And noticing how you can feel that sense of groundedness while your thoughts do whatever they're going to do, worrying about this or that. And you just get to go, Oh, there's another thought. Hmm. There's another thought. You can even smile at them as they pass.
What is it like to be an observer to your thinking rather than caught in your thinking? If the thoughts represent the waves on top of the ocean, we're just sinking down a little deeper into the sea. So that we can look up and sort of see the waves, but where we are is much deeper and more settled. In a moment I will ring the bells to close our meditation, and when I do just bring your full presence and focus to the sound until it dissolves back into silence. And if your eyes have been closed, you're welcome to open them now. And you did a great job today.
So this might've been a new technique for you, a new way of relating to your thoughts. As you go throughout your day and you notice these thoughts moving through the mind, see if you can create just a little bit of space with them. Not pushing them, not fighting them, but just watching them as if they were clouds passing through the sky, or as if you were eavesdropping on someone else's conversation. Try this out. You could come back to this meditation again today.
Until then, take care.
Relax Your Thoughts
In this meditation, we'll practice stepping back from our thoughts, letting them come and go, so that they (or we) start to settle and relax.
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Today, we're going to work with relaxing our thoughts. So if you haven't already done so, you can find a comfortable posture. And invite the eyes to close, if that feels okay for you. But you don't have to. Sometimes closing the eyes when we're anxious can make us more anxious.
So do what feels comfortable for you. We'll start by tuning into the sound of the bell. Let's take a nice deep breath together. In through the nose. And slowly out through the mouth.
Inviting the jaw to soften, so that the teeth are no longer clenched. Letting the shoulders be at ease, as much as they're willing to be. And letting the belly soften. And any other part of the body that might be holding tension or gripping in even the slightest or subtlest of ways. We'll settle our attention on our breathing, similar to what we did yesterday.
And if you want to place one hand on your belly, you can. Now a lot of times when we're experiencing anxiety, our thoughts are all over the place and they can feel really powerful and strong, like they have control over us. The tendency is to push those thoughts or to change them or get rid of them, or to get mad at them. We're going to practice something different here. Instead of pushing them, we're just going to watch them as if we were watching cars driving down the highway or watching clouds pass through the sky.
So when you're ready, just start to notice what thoughts are moving through your mind right now. No matter how anxious or nervous or worrisome they may be, you're just kind of watching them. Just another thought. Just another cloud. Letting your body be totally at ease.
And noticing how you can feel that sense of groundedness while your thoughts do whatever they're going to do, worrying about this or that. And you just get to go, Oh, there's another thought. Hmm. There's another thought. You can even smile at them as they pass.
What is it like to be an observer to your thinking rather than caught in your thinking? If the thoughts represent the waves on top of the ocean, we're just sinking down a little deeper into the sea. So that we can look up and sort of see the waves, but where we are is much deeper and more settled. In a moment I will ring the bells to close our meditation, and when I do just bring your full presence and focus to the sound until it dissolves back into silence. And if your eyes have been closed, you're welcome to open them now. And you did a great job today.
So this might've been a new technique for you, a new way of relating to your thoughts. As you go throughout your day and you notice these thoughts moving through the mind, see if you can create just a little bit of space with them. Not pushing them, not fighting them, but just watching them as if they were clouds passing through the sky, or as if you were eavesdropping on someone else's conversation. Try this out. You could come back to this meditation again today.
Until then, take care.
Duration
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The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
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Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
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