Relaxation Tip: Quiet the Mind

By Gordon Rosenberg
Most of us listen to our busy minds constantly, not knowing how to quiet them. We are thinking creatures for certain, but we can learn to still the mind somewhat, and pay less attention to all it has to say. Your body relaxes better when it's not being constantly distracted by thoughts, fears, and beliefs.

The mind's proper role is to control many bodily functions and remember the things we need to know, but not to control our lives. Most of us have allowed the mind, our thoughts, our beliefs to dominate our lives. We must learn to relax the mind, let it do what it's here to do and stay out of other things that are not its responsibility. It's about teaching the mind to let go of control when it's appropriate to do so.

Shift Your Energy

If you practice this exercise regularly, your mind and body will begin to relax, your thoughts will calm down, your fears may alleviate, you'll become more centered and balanced. You will realize you don't have to check in with your mind every moment. You'll learn to wait until it's important, then ask your mind what you need to know.

Eventually, the entire energy in your body may shift. You may find you can release tension and stress you've been carrying and allow both mind and body to relax. Your body will know it's free to do its work, without unnecessary interference from the mind.

Stilling the Mind Exercise

Check in with your body to be certain you're sitting comfortably. Feel your body and see if you can let go of any tension, stress, tightness you may feel. Let the body relax to a deeper level. Let your mind begin to relax, too.

Now, try to sense the activity of your mind. Just see how active it may be. Listen to its thoughts. Don't try to stop them. Just listen to what's going on in there. See how busy it is or isn't. Next, see if you can let go of any attachment to what the mind is thinking. Just let go and let the mind think what it wants.

What thoughts are there? Do you notice any sensations with the thoughts? Any feelings? Any particular awareness in your body? Are there any sensations or feelings you don't like? You can let go of anything in your mind. Your mind may wander, but you need not pay much attention to it. You don't need to know everything your mind is thinking. You don't need to feel attached to them. They're just thoughts, and thoughts are pretty much random most of the time.

You can stop worrying about what your mind is doing, and let it go wherever it wants. Don't hold on to any of it. Let go of whatever is in your mind. Just let the thoughts flow through. Coming and going. Let go of anything the mind is doing. Let go and let the thoughts go where they want.

Just Let Go

This is all there is to working with the mind in this way. At least in the beginning. There is just letting go and letting the mind have its own way. Just letting go and letting the mind go wherever it wants. We can't really control the mind. We can only let go of it. Let go and let it do its thing, without needing to listen to it all the time.

Ultimately, you may get really good at tracking the mind's thoughts, and even influencing them in some way. But now, as you begin this practice, just let the mind have its way and go wherever it wants. Coming. Going. Letting go. Let the mind go. Let it have its thoughts, wandering about wherever it wants.www.facebook.com

Continue watching the mind this way for a few minutes. Then, when you feel ready, return your awareness to the room and be certain you're fully back in your body before returning to normal activities. Most people discover how busy the mind is during this exercise. You probably already knew your mind was busy most of the time. You may not have known that you can quiet it. Relaxation Tip: Quiet the Mind