A shared practice
Noticing the Presence of Anxiety
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Created bySean Fargo
From Sean's stress-and-anxiety collection — recorded in his own voice.
In Sean Fargo’s own voice5 min
Read along — the full script
So let's start a guided mindfulness practice around noticing when anxiety is present and when it's not present by finding a posture that feels relaxed and alert. Inviting a sense of ease into the body, relaxation. So drop your shoulders, soften your belly.
Loosen the muscles of the face and the jaw. And sense into the background of the mind and body, seeing if there's a prevailing mood or energy. And notice whether there's anxiety present. If the breath is very relaxed, the mind is relatively tranquil, then there's probably not much anxiety there.
If the breath is shallow, mind is heavy or tight or bouncy, then there may be some anxiety. The intention is not to label good or bad, right or wrong. You're just noticing whether anxiety is present. Sensing into the mood of the mind and the energy of the body.
Is there anxiety present now? Perhaps the tides are turning one direction or the other. Without identifying yourself as an anxious person or an unanxious person, just noticing whether anxiety is present in the body or the mind in this moment.
Excellent. Well done. This exercise can be really useful for daily life, just noticing whenever anxiety is present for you. You'll get a sense of the trends for when anxiety is most present and when it's not there at all.
And in the moments when you're not anxious, it's helpful to celebrate that.
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