Ruth’s Trick #2

Taming the Mind

1. Once your body is relaxed (Ruth’s Trick #1), it is time to tame the mind.
2. Begin again by focusing on your breath. It is common for thoughts to arise and for you to want to attend to them. Each time this occurs, return your focus to your breathing. Some find that actually thinking of their nostrils and the air entering and exiting helps bring their focus back.
3. Other techniques that assist in decreasing mind wandering are the use of a mantra, a word or phrase that is repeated over and over, and focusing on the flame of a candle or on another object. This helps avoid giving those wandering thoughts attention. In some practices, the teacher gives the mantra to the student who tells no one else the mantra, but you can pick whatever word you like as your mantra. Or you can focus on a flame or on another object. Find what works best for you. Everyone is different.
4. It will take time and effort. Don’t be discouraged. It may take a few weeks or even longer before you start seeing the profound effects of a quiet mind. You won’t have the same desire to engage emotionally in thoughts that often are negative or distracting. The calmness you felt from simply relaxing will increase because when you are not distracted by internal dialogue the associated emotional response does not occur. It is this response that has an effect on the rest of your body.
5. Practice this exercise for twenty to thirty minutes per day.

The reward for taming the mind is clarity of thought.

*You can visit intothemagicshop.com to listen to an audio version of this exercise.