This activity is called the leaves on a stream and it's an exercise from acceptance and commitment therapy. This exercise helps you develop the ability to separate yourself from your thoughts. Noticing them and observing them instead of becoming sucked into them.
You are not your thoughts you have the ability to observe your thoughts. This is called cognitive diffusion which is just a big word for saying getting unstuck from your thoughts. So, let's begin our practice.
Sit in a comfortable position and either close your eyes or rest them gently on a fixed spot in the room. Take a breath and notice what it feels like to breathe. Allow yourself to become aware of the present moment.
Notice what the chair feels like pressing into your legs. Notice your breath. Notice the sounds around you.
Imagine yourself sitting beside a gently flowing stream with leaves floating along the surface of the water. Notice what it sounds like, what it looks like, what it smells like. During this exercise thoughts are going to pop into and out of your head.
With the first thought that comes in imagine placing that thought on a leaf and allow that leaf to float on by. With each thought that comes whether the thought is happy or sad enjoyable or uncomfortable place that thought on a leaf and let that leaf float down the stream. If thoughts pop into your mind like this is dumb or I'm bored or I'm not doing this right just notice those thoughts and place them on leaves too.
Let them pass down the stream without getting too wrapped up in believing them or trying to make them go away. During the spaces between thoughts just envision yourself watching the stream. Sooner or later your thoughts will start up again, and with each thought that does come up just gently place it on a leaf and let it pass down the stream.
Allow the stream to flow at its own pace. Don't try to speed it up and rush your thoughts along. You're not trying to rush the leaves along or get rid of your thoughts.
You're allowing them to come and go at their own pace and your job is to notice them and allow them to come and go without getting too wrapped up in them. If a leaf does get stuck allow it to hang around until it's ready to float by. If the thought comes up again watch it float by another time.
If a difficult or painful feeling arises, just acknowledge it say to yourself I noticed myself having a feeling of boredom or impatience or frustration or whatever it is. Place those thoughts on leaves and allow them to float on by. From time to time your thoughts may hook and distract you from being fully present in this exercise, this is normal.
As soon as you realize that you have become sidetracked just gently bring yourself back to watching your thoughts and placing them as if they were leaves on a stream. As we come to the end of this activity, take one more look at your stream and your surroundings. Imagine what it sounds like and feels like to be there and then gradually come back into your body here in the present moment.
Notice the chair pressing against your legs. Notice what it feels like to breathe and your welcome to open your eyes. Take a moment to reflect back on this what was it like for you to notice yourself thinking.
It's really normal to find yourself struggling to remain present and mindful. We are all constantly pulled by distraction and that's okay. Be gentle with yourself as you work to pull your awareness back to noticing your thoughts.
Each difficulty that you may have faced during this exercise is an opportunity to grow and practice the skill of present moment awareness and noticing your thoughts. Thank you so much for joining me. Please subscribe for more skills to manage depression anxiety thoughts and emotions, and take care.
