Accepting Resistance Meditation

Feeling resistance? Abide in stillness in the present moment, simply being with the breath as you open your awareness to any resistance you may feel in the body or mind. Fully accept whatever may arise with compassion and grace. There is a period of approx. 2 minutes of silence toward the end of the meditation. This is a helpful meditation for beginners and those feeling hardened to the practice of meditation or life itself.

Transcript

Hello, Welcome to this meditation to Melt Resistance. I'm Beth and I'll be guiding you. Sitting nice and tall, Comfort being of equal importance to having your spine straight, Let's begin by just withdrawing our attention from any ruminations, Replays, Any memories, Anything at all from the past. Just bring it all into this present moment. Let's do the same with any thoughts of what's next, Or still to be done, Our worries of the future or anticipations of what's to come. Just drop all of that for the moment and allow yourself to be completely present in your body here and now. Let go of any expectations that you may be holding onto, Expectations about meditation, About what you'll feel or experience or not. And then just tune your attention towards your breath. Watch as it moves in and out. The breath can be so subtle and so overlooked and yet it's with us 100% of the time. See if you can give your full attention just for a moment to the sensations that accompany the breath. Notice any responses in the body. Any desires to deepen the breath or yawn and just allow the spontaneous unfolding of the breath. You can now start to turn your attention towards any tightness in the body. Where do you feel kind of hard or hardened to the world? Bring your awareness and your breath to this and see if it can soften. How deep inside can you go with this letting go? And where, If anywhere, Do you hit resistance? And if and when you find resistance, What's your reaction to it? Can you be aware of it and hold it in compassion and even be grateful for your resistance which is there to protect you in some form, Protect some idea of self from a perceived or subconscious threat? And can you in this moment, Just for this moment, Maybe let go a little more? People often wonder what meditation is or already have some concept or idea. They think it's how one sits or how you count breaths or some technique. But it's really just meeting your resistance and softening as you meet it. Letting it be what it is. Because what it is, Just is. Thoughts may arise, Just let them float through your awareness. We hear it a lot in meditations. What does it even mean? It means you recognize that you are not your thoughts. Thoughts appear, They're constant. But you can watch or hear or sense them. You are that awareness much faster than the thinking. Let's now enter a few minutes of silence. Stay as awareness. Whatever arises, Just meet it. If you meet resistance, Accept it. Feel it. Even if it's uncomfortable, Stay with it and watch it stay, Shift, Change or even dissolve. Breathe and feel. Let's now enter a few minutes of silence. Now, Coming into a fully aware state again. Maintaining the sense of peace and quiet that you've cultivated, Gently open your eyes and slowly return to your waking environment. Well done. Let's dedicate this practice for the benefit of all beings. Bring your hands together at your heart in a prayer posture. May the merits of this practice be dedicated to the attainment of the most supreme and sublime enlightened mind for the benefit of all beings. May we all be free from suffering and no peace. Thank you for meditating with me. May you be happy, Healthy and fulfilled. That ends this meditation.