Dropping the Anchor

Take a moment to acknowledge the thoughts and feelings that are showing up for you right now.

Simply notice what your mind is doing: Is it racing, whirring, or worrying?

Notice what you can feel in your body: Are there some painful feelings in your body, is it numb, or empty?

Take a moment to name what you are feeling and thinking: You might say something like, “I’m feeling angry,” or, “Here’s my mind worrying.”

Now come back into your body; get a sense of your physical body.

Push your feet into the floor, bring yourself upright and take a breath or two. Gently move your arms and legs around. Get a sense of control over your arms and legs.

For example, gently push your fingertips together, move your shoulders around, gently move your feet up and down. Perhaps feel a gentle stretch. Get a sense of being in your whole body, your arms, your legs, your hands, and your feet.

And now, engage in the world around you.

Open your eyes and ears and look around and notice.

Where are you? What can you see? Notice 5 things you can see. Name them.

What can you hear? Name the sounds.

Reach out with your hands and touch something. It might be part of your body; it might be an object outside of you. Feel what it’s like when you touch it.

Notice the air. What does it smell like? What can you taste?

There’s a whole world around you right now. Notice what your mind is doing now, and what you can feel, and gently name them. Notice there’s a body here that you own and there’s a world around you that you can engage in. Notice where you are, and what you are doing, and consider, where do you need to put your attention right now to make the most of this moment?

Adapted from Russ Harris’s Audio Recording of Dropping Anchor: www.actmindfully.com.au/free-stuff/free-audio