This is (I think?) a form of meditation, but it's what I use to calm my mind, especially when I've woken up in the night and need to get back to sleep. I learned it from my favorite dance teacher who starts every class with this exercise. What you do is just tell yourself things, in sentence form, that are true about wherever you are right now. Majority of them should be sensory things. Like, "I feel my sweat pants on my leg." "I feel the heater blowing my hair." "I hear a car passing outside." "I see a gray sky." "I taste the apple pie I had for dessert." Just statements about what is true right now -- and this is the important part: WITHOUT COMMENTARY. Of course, because you have a human brain and this is what it is hard-wired to do, your will start supplying commentary anyway. So when that happens you just notice it, and absolutely don't judge it or anything, it's just another "fact of the moment" -- "that was commentary." You acknowledge the commentary and then go back to stating other (non-commentary) facts until the next bout of commentary, which you then acknowledge and move on from -- or until you fall asleep, which happens shockingly fast for me once I notice and move on from my first bout of commentary. Eventually you might feel like you've run out of facts so you can start saying the sentences over to yourself, with more space in them to take up more time, and somewhere in there, a sense of peace develops? A place where, just for a moment, thoughts get lulled into taking a break? I find that as soon as I notice that I'm in that peace, huge thoughts come FLOODING IN, and then I have to calmly and gently be like, "this is commentary. back to the facts." It's refreshing and it takes a very passive form of discipline, like, you should be as relaxed as possible -- lying on the floor or on a couch, not holding a single part of your body up, maybe eyes closed, total release, but not *total* because the thoughts do need to be guided -- not controlled, not judged, not even stopped. Just guided, like re-routing a little rivulet of water that's rolling down a hill.
Feb 11, 2024
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This has helped me a lot. Data (thoughts, emotions, sensations) can be very overwhelming. Practicing/reading this has helped me not get too invested in the sensations, which is kinda like stroking a snake, the head and the tail both lead to being bitten.
Apr 14, 2022
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There are so many guided meditations out there (I have hundreds of my own out there on YT and Insight Timer) but when you’re just beginning the process, simply listen.
Sit outside in a comfy place and really focus on your ears and listening.
notice all the layers of sounds around you.
Then you can start noticing what you are seeing, even with eyes closed.
Then smell, taste, and simply feel.
And BREATHE. feel your lungs breathing and watch your breath the same way you watch waves. witness your own nature the same way you witness any other thing in nature.
Open all the senses to your unique perception of the world at this moment, which will always be unique and noteworthy.
There will be much noise in your mind saying lots of stuff maybe like “this is pointless” and the such, but each time you hear a judgey thought, flip it to curiosity-
“could there be a point to sitting here and opening all my senses”
There is a GREAT power in experiencing the world and your life as it is.
We aren’t meant to change everything or fix every problem with “love and light” through meditation.
We are just meant to remember, acknowledge, and accept that deep sense of awe and love that is beneath everything.
Beneath allllll the noise. that’s all there is.
We are meant to simply experience the wonder of whatever this wild wacky wonderful world is. it has been created in a marvelous way and we can join in the dance however we can 🪩
Mar 22, 2024
I always forget about it and then remember again and I’m like oh yeah that’s why I’m not normal. You can write this into your journal every day to hold yourself accountable and keep track of your moods.
You can look up safe calm place meditation on YouTube but it’s essentially a visualization technique where you imagine a place where you can be safe and totally at ease and the sensory experience of that—mine was a grassy meadow with a stream of running water and cows mooing nearby. The more you build it up and return to it the more powerful it can become when you need it.
I really enjoy Tara Brach’s body scan meditations and her felt smile meditation too.
These are all for trauma obviously and the TICES log isn’t really relevant, but they could be really helpful for stress too I think because most of them are just basic elements of well being and awareness. I need to get back on this myself in these trying times…
Feb 6, 2025
Top Recs from @marisapaullgorst
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For feel in the hand my favorite one is TÜL that I can only ever find at Office Depot. For ease of clicking the lead up and the best eraser I love the Clear Point Elite by Paper Mate. I'm a 0.7mm fan for lead, not so skinny that it breaks under my ferocious pressure but still thin enough to write pretty small notes in the margin.
I've been lost for pens for many years. I yearn to find a good one and have actually put up an ask here myself on the topic. I'll be following this thread.
For notebooks the common denominator I'll be fine with is Moleskine. Don't love it but it won't ruin my life. I sample around like crazy and 90% of what I get drives me up the wall, luckily I write every day and go through them like tissue so I'm not stuck for too long before I get to sample anew. My absolute FAVORITE notebook was from an Italian company called Impresso on Etsy -- GOD I LOVED THOSE NOTEBOOKS -- I was gifted one and bought the second. Alas they are really thick, impractical for tossing in a bag with computer, dance stuff, change of clothes, just too bulky to be a constant companion. I never even thought to check if they make slimmer notebooks until now. ON IT
Feb 12, 2024
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I know her
Jan 31, 2024
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I can now linger over a cup of tea for over an hour, and it stays at the perfect temperature the whole time. The travel lid takes the game to the next level. I can make a tea at home and bring it to have on my break after teaching my first class. It sits there staying hot the whole time and I don't have to spend any of my break time making it.
Jan 24, 2024