Gently let go of your attachment to your thoughts using a technique called “cognitive disfusion” in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
This exercise explores ways to allow thoughts to come and go without feeling the need to hold onto them or push them away. This technique, called “cognitive defusion,” is part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and involves visualizing your thoughts as clouds to guide you through this process in a gentle, mindful way.
Guided meditation to visualize your thoughts as clouds in the sky
This exercise can be performed with your eyes open or closed, sitting or lying down. Choose the position that is most comfortable for you. Take several slow, long breaths. Ground your breath to your body and the present moment. Notice yourself sitting or lying here. Notice the sensations on your skin. Notice how your body feels inside. Notice where the tension is and any emotions that may be present in you right now. Now imagine that you are lying in a vast field and looking up at the sky. Imagine how it would feel to lie here and sink into the ground below. Bring your attention and awareness to looking up at the sky, being present in the field, or looking at the clouds. As you lie here, you may begin to notice thoughts entering your consciousness. Every time you notice that thought, imagine placing it on a cloud and letting it float through the sky. You can place your thoughts in these clouds, whether they are positive or negative, pleasant or unpleasant. Your job is just to be aware of the sky and notice the clouds. If there is a space between your thoughts, notice that space, like noticing the space between the clouds, like the blue sky behind everything. You may have an idea about doing this exercise. You might think, “This is boring,” “This isn’t working,” “I don’t like this,” or “When will this end?” That’s normal and you can let that thought pass on a cloud. Even if you get stuck in your thoughts, there’s no need to force yourself to get rid of them. You can allow it to stay there. Let’s make space for that. Let me settle above the clouds. Let me hang around for a while. All you are doing is observing your experience. There’s no need to force that thought away. If you feel bored or impatient, that’s okay. You can say to yourself: “Here is the feeling of boredom.” I feel anxious here. And you can also pick it up and put it on the cloud. It is normal and natural to feel lost during this exercise. When that happens, just pick yourself up and go back to lying in this field, looking up at the sky and thinking. You are becoming an observer of your own mind. You are not what you think. Thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky. Some are slow. Some people are fast. And you’re observing all of that. Now wait for the image to start melting. Bring your attention back to your body and feel your breath inside your body. Notice how your skin feels, the temperature, and how your body feels in contact with the ground. Feel yourself coming completely back into your body. When you’re ready, open your eyes and allow yourself to fully return to the room. Thank you for practicing with me. I hope that you will find this habit useful in your daily life.
