Think about standing in a shallow, clear stream looking at a rock that is
between your feet. A most interesting rock. Think about leaves floating into
your view as you watch that rock at the bottom of a shallow stream. You
recognize the leaf as it floats by but you don’t follow it concentrating
only on that rock. two things to know first about your doctor:
Using this as an analogy as to how to calm your mind, spend five minutes
after a quick relax, paying attention only to breathing, either the movement
of your chest or the sound of the air coming in and out of your nose. When
thoughts come, and they will, recognize them as thoughts and let them go.
At the end of the five minutes you can go downstream and get those
thoughts if you want but right now you’re just going to let them go, paying
attention only to your breathing. Five minutes may seem like an eternity but
it accomplishes two things if done daily: 1) slowing a runaway mind down and
2) a good prelude to meditation.
Let me know if these suggestions were helpful.
Gene Hawkins, Ph.D.