Day 23: Letting Go: Finding Peace Through the "Leaves on a Stream" Technique
We all experience moments when worries or unhelpful thoughts seem to take over, leaving us feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Holding onto these thoughts can weigh us down, preventing us from being fully present in the moment. Letting go doesn’t mean ignoring our challenges - it means acknowledging them and releasing their hold on us.
One helpful mindfulness exercise for letting go is the "Leaves on a Stream" technique. This simple yet powerful activity encourages us to visualize our thoughts and worries as leaves floating gently down a stream, helping us detach from them and find calm amidst life’s chaos.
Practicing the "Leaves on a Stream" Technique
- Find a Quiet Space: Sit comfortably in a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed. Close your eyes if it feels comfortable.
- Imagine a Stream: Picture a gentle stream flowing in front of you. Notice the sound of the water, the sunlight glinting on its surface, and the rhythm of its flow.
- Place Your Thoughts on Leaves: Each time a thought, worry, or emotion arises, imagine placing it on a leaf. Visualize the leaf being carried downstream, moving further and further away from you.
- Stay Present: Continue observing the stream. If your mind drifts or you find yourself holding onto a thought, gently bring your attention back to the stream and place the thought on another leaf.
- Practice Patience: Let the stream carry each leaf without judgment or effort to control it. Trust that the water will guide them away.
This exercise doesn’t aim to eliminate thoughts or worries but helps us create space between ourselves and them. By visualizing the stream, we practice detachment and remind ourselves that we are not defined by our thoughts - they are just passing events.
Letting Go During Challenging Times
As we navigate the ups and downs of life, this practice can be especially helpful during moments of stress or uncertainty. Letting go allows us to focus on the present, where our energy is most impactful. It teaches us to trust the flow of life and accept what we cannot control.
Reflective Questions
- What thoughts or worries have been weighing you down recently?
- How does the idea of placing these thoughts on leaves and letting them drift away make you feel?
- What areas of your life could benefit from letting go of control or attachment?
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@SoulfullyAButterfly
excellent community post with great helpful tips and ideas related to upkeeping good mental health and hygiene, also good mental wellness and awareness!
@SoulfullyAButterflyI've never heard of leaves in the stream before! This is an amazing idea and very useful tool. I'll be doing this more than often!
Thank you
@SoulfullyAButterfly
I've used the technique Leaves on a Stream. I find it realty helpful. I'd like to incorporate it more into my life. But I keep forgetting. So thanks for the reminder.
It helps me take 5 minutes to acknowledge my feelings. I need something structured, otherwise I don't.
And I found that once I did it a few times, my body associated it with relaxation and so the benefits came quicker with each practice.
There's a YouTube video that guides you in how to do it. I found that a good way to get started.
I've known about this technique but have never put it into practice. I'm going to try to focus on this as party of my "anxiety tool kit." Thanks @Clio9876 for mentioning there's a YouTube video for it. I think I'll try to use it to help.
What thoughts or worries have been weighing you down recently?
As a mother, I'm always worried about my son. Even though I don't have any real reason to be. I mean, parents have concern about their kids all the time. Are they eating right, do they have friends, is school okay, is their job okay, are they happy, are they feeling okay.... But I mentally take it to an extreme. I worry that everything is wrong and he's struggling or suffering or something. (It's part of my anxiety issues I deal with at therapy.)
How does the idea of placing these thoughts on leaves and letting them drift away make you feel?
It makes me feel hopeful. Calm. As if I could just get these scary, negative feelings away from me for a little while to get some head space, I would be able to breathe, relax, and not wake up with anxiety every day.
What areas of your life could benefit from letting go of control or attachment?
ALL areas. My health, my work, my relationships - there isn't a part of my life that wouldn't benefit from it. To be able to objectively look at anxiety-inducing issues without dwelling on them and having them rule your every waking moment?? I don't know anyone who wouldn't benefit from letting go.
@SoulfullyAButterfly
- What thoughts or worries have been weighing you down recently?
for us it is that we have no family after we moved to be safe from abuse. but worry if we need another to be at hospital when we have test or other things that we not have anyone to be there for us. we not made really friends that could help in that if needed. also the thoughts that come up at times about starting to self harm again. we been safe harm free for a few years. but we one other time was self harm free for years. then we got to point we did that again. it was way worst then other time too.
- How does the idea of placing these thoughts on leaves and letting them drift away make you feel?
on the medic stuff we feel like letting go the wrong thing to do as it really something that will happen. our health really bad with living in pain 24/7 and we have other medical things too.
as far as the thoughts about self harm. we have tried not to worry about the thoughts. we been using the copping stills we have too. but seem we just can not get away from the thoughts about doing that either. we not felt emotions long as we was numb many years from feeling them.
- What areas of your life could benefit from letting go of control or attachment?
with the medical need thoughts not sure as we feel like we alone. as far as offline so not sure how that could change as in the need of it.
as far as the self harm thoughts and fears us worrying about the thoughts leading to actions. we not sure how to let go. it like when we get triggered we want to numb from the emotions and well flashbacks. we know letting go would help our mental health. but the thoughts come even when we try to not have them.
- What thoughts or worries have been weighing you down recently?
I have been going through the divorce process. I worry about finances and being alone. Thoughts that weigh me down are feeling like I’ve failed life and feeling like I’m not good enough.
- How does the idea of placing these thoughts on leaves and letting them drift away make you feel?
I did something like this imagining releasing bubbles containing my worries up to God. I had to try to physically feel the bubble detaching from my body, and imagine my body feeling less weight.
- What areas of your life could benefit from letting go of control or attachment?
All areas really. I want to trust that everything will be ok no matter what.
What thoughts or worries have been weighing you down recently?
Worries about basic needs and how to jump through all the ever-increasing hoops to be able to access them while disabled and struggling withe executive function to just do the daily tasks needed to keep myself alive.
How does the idea of placing these thoughts on leaves and letting them drift away make you feel?
It makes me feel like I'm being negligent somehow. Like I'm just pretending these things are pressing areas of concern I don't know how to fix and need to in order to live.
What areas of your life could benefit from letting go of control or attachment?
I don't know. If I don't have control of life, I don't get to continue living indoors with food, warmth, running water, a bathroom, electricity, storage, security, internet access, an address in order to be enfranchised in society.
Pretending these things aren't* areas of concern, etc.
