Find a comfortable posture,
Whether you want to sit in a chair or in the ground,
Or perhaps you want to lie down.
And this is an invitation to let the mind rest,
Listening to the sound of the ball and settling in today's practice.
Start with the alignment of the body.
Step one,
Get the alignment of the body right and that might mean you just kind of shift around a little bit so the body is supported at the same time attentive and open.
And notice how you don't necessarily need any instructions,
Actually it is the opposite.
Just tune into the wisdom of your own body.
Feel the alignment,
Whether you're sitting or lying down.
An alignment which is aware and open.
Step two,
Is to relax into the alignment.
So notice parts of the body that you could soften or relax more.
The body is still attentive but notice you can hold it.
Hold yourself less effort.
And you might feel breathing.
Notice the movement of breathing.
So welcoming breathing into your practice.
Take a moment to feel yourself slowing down.
Feel things start to settle down.
And check in what it is like to take a moment to quieten down the mind.
Everything getting a little quiet.
And as you quieten down,
You might tune into listening for a brief moment.
Practice listening.
Notice the quality of sound present for you.
Notice the sound arriving in this moment.
And what's it like for you to meet sound without some kind of opinion or bias.
If you were to just simply peel away the label of sound.
And simply meet sound as it's occurring it is,
Just as it is.
Notice the feeling of the physical body here as you sit.
And perhaps a feeling or sensation is present in the body.
Notice that sensation.
Perhaps a sense of tension or tightness somewhere.
Perhaps a sense of ease or softness somewhere in the body.
And once again,
Can you simply meet the feeling without any labels or any bias.
Right or wrong or any way of thinking.
Breathing in and fully being present as you sit here.
Now and as you are feeling body.
Just check out the breath.
Notice the subtle feeling of the body breathing.
Does your breath feel quite smooth and relaxed?
Or maybe there is a sense of edginess or roughness to the breath.
Where are you feeling that edginess in your body?
Perhaps in your chest or maybe in your belly.
Again,
Simply allow the breath to be just as it is.
Without changing anything or forcing anything.
Just let it be.
Just open to your breath.
And relaxing with the breath.
How does it feel to relax with your breath?
Just being aware if anything arising within you.
Allowing yourself to give full permission as to whatever is arising within you.
Just opening to the experience of allowing and surrendering.
And meeting life as it's unfolding.
As it is happening now.
Free of opinion.
Free of any bias.
Free of right or wrong.
Good or bad.
Just let it be.
Staying with the direct experience rather than wishing it was something different.
Or wishing you were somewhere else.
How does it feel to be here and now?
To be where you are.
To be feeling how you are feeling.
And rest in this open,
Unbiased,
Spacious mind.
And at the same time,
Just connecting to the warmth of your heart.
Warmth towards whatever is arising.
Gently bringing awareness back.
Feeling the space around you.
Feeling the space to the left.
Feeling the space to the right.
Above.
Below.
And feeling the space all around you.
And once again,
Let the sound of the bowl settle you into this moment now.
And it feels right for you.
You might want to blink your eyes open and close a couple of times.
To come back to a seeing space around you.
And when you're ready,
You could lift off the gaze and relax.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
Namaste.
