Taming the Wild Mind With Meditation

 Like a wild animal — impulsive, scared, and skittish — our minds and thoughts can leave us feeling anxious, confused, or exhausted. But like the best animal trainers, the animal whisperers, we need to learn how to take a gentle approach to taming our minds and quieting the endless chatter of our thoughts. We can't force peace through threats, anger, or self-inflicted punishment. Instead, we need to nurture trust, listen within, and practice self-compassion. Meditation offers us this path.

In Buddhism, the metaphor of big sky mind is used to describe the expansiveness of our minds and the boundless nature of our beings. And like clouds that float by, our thoughts — pleasant and unpleasant — come and go. We learn to not judge, resist, or identify with our thoughts but view them with curiosity and gentle awareness. This is how we begin to train our minds and cultivate compassion and loving kindness for ourselves and others. This is how we learn to make friends with ourselves.

Try this big sky mind meditation: Let your breath ground you to the present moment. With the natural rhythm of your breath, slowly scan your body, noticing areas of tension. Release any tightness with each exhale, allowing your body to soften and relax. As thoughts arise in your mind, observe them without judgment or attachment. Imagine your mind as a clear blue sky, vast and spacious, where thoughts drift like clouds.

Sometimes you might envision clouds that are white and fluffy, floating by effortlessly. Other times those clouds might be dark and stormy, triggering a sense of fear. Bring your presence back into your body, returning to your breath. Let your breath guide you back home to your center. Rest in the spaciousness of big sky mind. Relax in the present awareness of your true nature. (Daily OM)