Mindful May: Day Three - Judgment

The practice of noticing is a foundational part of your mindfulness practice. Noticing allows us to clearly observe what is happening without getting hooked into the experience.

Today, you're going to get a chance to practice separating your judgment of your experiences from the experiences themselves. When you begin to untangle the two, you start training your mind to let go.
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Day Three: Noticing Judgment

Let the eyes close. As you begin to slow and deepen your breathing, invite both awareness and relaxation into your body and mind.

Breathing in, reach the spine upward and bring energy into your body. Breathing out, let everything go.

Let your jaw go slack, drop your shoulders away from the ears, and soften the muscles of the belly.

Start opening your awareness to include any sensations in your body. Mindfully observe that feeling for a few moments; then open yourself up to other experiences your body is having.

After settling into this practice for a few minutes, notice when your mind begins judging. Your mind might decide that some experiences or feelings are good or right, and others are bad or wrong.

Just let this happen. Don’t encourage or discourage your judgments; just notice them when they come up.

Continue like this for a few minutes.

Then begin to notice what you are hearing. When you hear a sound, let yourself take note that you are hearing it.

If you make a judgment about the sound, recognize it but don’t try to do anything about it. Continue practicing with openness.

Whether you are hearing, feeling something in the body, or focusing on a thought, remain aware of your experience. Whenever you notice a judgment, identify it and allow it.

Resist the tendency to push it away, and don't engage with it any further. Finish with a few deep breaths, placing your awareness back into your body before opening your eyes.
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