*Author’s note: Read this post slowly and “thoughtfully.” There’s no rush. In fact, there’s no time better spent than calming your mind to help you get the most out of your day. Enjoy!
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You’re about to experience a clearer and calmer mind by the time you’re done reading this.

In fact, your mind is already becoming clearer right now just by drawing more attention to your current state of mind. Just mentioning that your mind will become clearer in a few short minutes caused you to become more aware of what’s happening in your head.

You may be having thoughts like:

“Is my mind clear right now?”

“Wow, my mind is cluttered right now; I hope this works!”

Questions like these help draw us more into this present moment (which is the key to a clearer, calmer mind). Let’s keep it going!

Into the Mind.

As you continue to read this, begin to notice the voice in your head reading these words right now. You don’t really need to focus so much on what I’m saying, just focus on that voice in your head that is reading these words.

There should be a good balance between being aware of what you’re reading and the voice in your head as you read it. How does this feel?

You’re doing really well already! Keep it up!

Now, ask yourself the following question…and then just wait for a response. There’s no rush here. Try it!

“What will be the very next thought to pop into my mind?”

Take some time to try it. Try it again if you want.

How did it go?

Did your mind seem to become clear for a moment as it was waiting for that next thought? If so, you were just drawn into what is sometimes called “deep presence.” This is the mental state we want to be free of extraneous thinking. Actually, it’s not even a mental state, it’s just being in the present moment—which is here all the time (but covered up by our discursive mind).

Extending the Silence.

Let’s go back to noticing that voice in your head as it reads. Maintain this awareness as you continue to read. Begin to read very slowly; this is the best way to begin to work with “awareness reading.” There is no rush.

Continue to read slowly and really become aware of the silence between words and sentences. You may begin to notice longer and longer pauses between sentences as you become more aware of the silence. Noticing this silence is not thought. It’s the awareness, or “deep presence,” I mentioned earlier. This is a basic form of mindfulness meditation.

Going even Deeper.

Continue to read slowly and notice that inner voice as you read. If your mind gets distracted by other thoughts, that’s normal. Just notice when it happens, and then gently guide your attention back to your inner reading voice.

Notice how this draws you into the present moment. That’s all that really matters…the here and now. There’s no need to worry about the past or future, as it just distracts us from what is going on at this very point in time. This moment is the only thing that exists or ever will exist. The past and future are only illusions that are responsible for the majority of our daily stress, anxiety, depression, and unhappiness.

Maintaining this Presence.

Great job! If you’ve successfully followed along, your mind should be significantly calmer than it was before reading this…all simply as result of reading and noticing your experience! Now, obviously, you might still have some unwanted thoughts, feelings, or emotions going on. However, you just took the first step toward taking control of your mind.

Make a quick mental note about how you feel at this moment, and do your best to maintain this awareness into the rest of your day. If you feel no different, that’s okay too. Just note how you feel, and try this again later.

If you’re looking for an added boost, I totally recommend incorporating the powerful benefits of essential oils into your mindfulness practices. Try using some frankincense oil while you meditate. Its meditative properties will help guide you even further into your mindfulness or meditation practices.

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Author: Rob Rutkowski
Image: Flickr/new 1lluminati
Editor: Travis May
Copy Editor: Yoli Ramazzina