[Music] hello and thank you for joining us for our urge surfing meditation urge surfing is a skill or a technique that can be used to ride the wave for urges for engaging in target behaviors or any maladaptive behaviors that we know are not serving us and staying present in the life we want to be present in the goal of urge surfing is not to eliminate desires urges or impulses that's an impossible task rather to learn that not all desires urges or impulses must be satisfied or responded to so to begin our mindful practice today will be one that is designed to help us become better at noticing and not responding to urges to do something that we inwardly know will create more suffering for us the practice known as urge surfing a way of becoming more mindfully aware of urges by seeing them as waves they crest and they pass away involves learning to appreciate urges as transitory experiences not mandates for action most of us already have experience in not responding to urges for example quitting smoking or not scratching an itch today's practice is designed to help us become better at using this skill and so to start please find any comfortable seated position find a way of sitting that feels both alert and still supported [Music] when you are ready take a breath with awareness in order to center yourself into this moment notice the rise and fall of your breathing not trying to change or do anything about it just being fully present with the full duration of your inhale and the full duration of your exhale [Music] now as best you can allow your attention to focus on any urges that might arise during your practice of mindful breathing for example you might notice an urge to move an urge to scratch an itch or perhaps even an urge to giggle [Music] as best you can observe these urges without giving in to them not trying to make them go away but simply allowing them to crest and fall like a wave knowing that they are transitory experiences that don't require an immediate response if you find your mind wandering notice that and without giving yourself a hard time gently guide your attention back to the sensations of your breath and your awareness of any urges that may arise urges can involve many things for example you might notice an urge to stop this practice or an urge to fall asleep or an urge to think about other things you might notice an urge to stand up or turn off this meditation all kinds of experiences might emerge during this practice including not being able to notice any urges whatsoever [Music] either way the practice today is to get better at noticing urges rather than automatically giving in to them by simply observing them like waves and then turning our attention [Music] and finally if you have an urge that you decide to respond to do so with awareness now let's take a few minutes to silently practice urge surfing with the understanding that doing so will help us become more skillful at not responding to every impulse or desire that may arise [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] as you're ready gently return your awareness back to the room [Music] to the seat underneath you to your breath in your body if your eyes are closed you can open them reorienting to the space if it's comfortable take a few deep breaths noticing what you notice and how you notice it we invite you to utilize this practice of urge surfing throughout your day throughout your week and reflect on what it's like to notice urges without responding thank you for joining us for this practice today and be well