Letting go meditation for a racing mind (12 min), on a slow Sunday

About this practice

12 minutes to meet a racing mind with less of a fight. A letting go practice, on a slow Sunday. A guided session of about 12 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: a racing mind

A racing mind is not a thinking problem, it is an arousal problem. When the body is revved up, the brain produces thoughts at the same speed, and each one feels urgent.

It tends to show up as:

• Thoughts arriving faster than you can finish them
• Lying awake running through the day
• Losing your place mid-sentence

Trying to stop the thoughts adds fuel. Narrowing attention to one physical sensation gives the mind a slower thing to hold.

Doing this on a rest day

• Do it without a reason or a target
• Later in the day, unhurried, in good light
• Let it be longer than usual if you want

Rest that has to be justified is not really rest. This one is allowed to be pointless.

How letting go works

Letting go is about loosening grip rather than dropping things. It works on the effort attached to a problem — the holding, rehearsing and bracing — which is separable from the problem itself.

• Pick one thing you are gripping and loosen a single finger
• Release the effort with the exhale, not the issue
• Set down temporarily; you can pick it up again after

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00Take one breath that is slightly slower than the last one. That is enough to start.
2. 0:15We'll take this slowly, and there's no version of this where you get it wrong.
3. 0:29Let your body feel heavier than it did a minute ago. Let the chair or the floor take it.
4. 0:45Let your attention rest on the out-breath. The in-breath can take care of itself.
5. 0:59Let the out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath, without forcing it.
6. 1:12Notice the breath you're taking right now. That's the only one that exists.
7. 1:25Let the whole of your right foot be heavy.
8. 1:36Notice your heels making contact with the floor or the bed.
9. 1:48Notice your fingers, one by one, starting with the little finger.
10. 2:00Feel your belly. Let it be soft instead of held in.
11. 2:12Each time your mind hands you one thought chasing the next, treat it like a leaf on a stream. Present for a moment, then carried on.
12. 2:31You do not have to solve thoughts arriving faster than you can answer them in these few minutes. Your only job is to keep breathing while it is here.
13. 2:52Let the breath be shallow if shallow is what your body wants.
14. 3:05If you're distracted by a sound, let the sound be the object for a moment.
15. 3:19There's no need to try harder than this.
16. 3:30A few quiet breaths. That's all this is.
17. 3:41If you're judging your performance, that's the same habit as judging everything else.
18. 3:54Let this be easy, if easy is available.
19. 4:05Pause here. Count three breaths if you need an anchor.
20. 4:17If you're replaying a conversation, let it play. It'll finish on its own.
21. 4:30You can be as unimpressive as you like for the next few minutes.
22. 4:43I'll step back. You stay here.
23. 4:53Notice the tone of your own inner voice. Is it kind?
24. 5:05Nothing here needs to be efficient.
25. 5:15I'll leave a gap here. Use it however you like.
26. 5:27Notice the exact moment your attention left. You probably won't catch it. That's normal.
27. 5:41Notice your whole body as one shape, sitting or lying here.
28. 5:53Notice how many breaths you take in a minute. Don't change the number, just check.
29. 6:07Take the next breath slowly.
30. 6:16Notice your toes, starting with the big one on the left.
31. 6:28Feel your breath move down your back, all the way to your lower ribs.
32. 6:42Stay here a little longer.
33. 6:51Start at the top of your head. Notice the scalp, which you almost never notice.
34. 7:05Feel the pause at the top of the in-breath. It's shorter than you think.
35. 7:19Nothing changes for a moment.
36. 7:28Notice your ribs on both sides. Wide, not squeezed.
37. 7:39Breathe as if you had all evening. There's no rush in this part.
38. 7:52Let this one be unhurried.
39. 8:01Feel your ankles. Let them be loose.
40. 8:11Notice the space around the mind running ahead of you. It is there, even if it is small. Put your attention in that space.
41. 8:30I'll stop for a moment. Take the pause at your own speed.
42. 8:43Say to yourself: this is uncomfortable, and I can stay with it for one more breath. Then take that breath.
43. 9:00Let the breath move at the speed of a sleeping person.
44. 9:12When thoughts arriving faster than you can answer them presses in, put a hand on your chest or your belly. Warmth and pressure are anchors your body already trusts.
45. 9:33Nothing about the mind running ahead of you has to be explained or justified in this room.
46. 9:48Feel the air as it passes the back of your throat. It's cooler going in.
47. 10:02If you're counting the minutes, that's fine. Count them and come back.
48. 10:15If you feel restless, that's a feeling, not a failure.
49. 10:27Let's pause. Just the breathing for a while.
50. 10:38Small efforts are the whole method.
51. 10:48A few seconds more.
52. 10:57Let the quiet end on its own rather than cutting it off.
53. 11:10Come back at your own speed. The room will wait.
54. 11:22No rush to move on.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.