Welcome,
Today we're going to practice an open awareness meditation.
Unlike focus meditation,
Where you keep your attention on one object,
Like the breath or bodily sensations,
Open awareness allows the whole field of experience to be included.
Thoughts,
Sounds,
Sensations and emotions,
Whatever arises,
Notice it and let it pass without holding on.
The practice is not about stopping the mind and thoughts or controlling what happens.
It's about resting as the observer,
Spacious and clear,
While everything moves through.
With practice,
You will start to become aware of all aspects of life,
Inside and outside of you,
Which will give you the choice of what you want to focus on and what you want to let go of.
So when you're ready,
Find a comfortable position,
Sitting upright but relaxed.
Rest your hands gently on your lap or knees and feet flat on the floor.
If it feels natural,
Close your eyes,
If not,
Soften your gaze towards the floor and take a moment to settle in.
We'll begin with a short body scan and breath awareness to ease the mind and open up your focus.
So start by bringing attention to your forehead,
Eyebrows and eyelids.
Let them soften and relax.
Unclench your jaw and let your tongue sit comfortably as it wants to.
Let your shoulders drop away and your arms to feel heavy on your lap.
Soften your stomach and allow your lower back to loosen.
Feel the weight of your body resting on the chair or cushion.
Notice the contact with the floor beneath you.
Does it feel steady and supportive?
Let go of any tension you might be holding and feel your whole body at once.
Totally relaxed but in full awareness.
Now bring your attention to your breath without trying to control it.
You might want to take two or three long deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
See if you can lengthen your exhales.
When you're ready,
Let the breathing return to its own rhythm without trying to control it.
Notice the rise and fall in your chest or belly.
Is your breath shallow or deep?
Is it slow or fast?
Is every breath the same?
Use the breath as an anchor,
A simple reminder that you are here and present.
Anytime you feel you have wandered off or lost,
You can always come back to the breath.
Acknowledge any thoughts that come into your mind.
Notice them and let them drift away like clouds moving across the sky.
Each time you return to the breath,
You strengthen your awareness.
Now allow your awareness to open.
Instead of keeping attention only on the breath,
Include everything that comes into consciousness.
You might notice sounds,
Near or far,
Soft or loud.
Let them come and go without labeling or resisting.
You might notice body sensations,
Pressure,
Tingling,
Warmth,
Or restlessness.
There is no need to fix or change them.
Simply allow them to be part of the present field.
You might notice emotions,
Calm,
Boredom,
Irritation,
Or peace.
Let them be exactly as they are.
You don't have to chase pleasant feelings or push away the unpleasant ones.
You might notice thoughts,
Memories,
Plans,
Or judgments.
Watch them appear and dissolve like ripples on water without needing to follow them.
Let your attention expand and see if you can sense the whole room you are sitting in.
Imagine you are the empty space in the room,
Open and free,
Just allowing everything in it to exist without judgments,
Letting everything pass through it freely without attachment or resistance.
Notice all the sounds,
Smells,
And sensations in the space.
See how they constantly arise and pass away.
Everything is continuously moving,
Changing.
Let your awareness rest in this open space,
Not as something separate from it,
But as a part of it.
Notice that the space itself never changes.
It simply allows everything to come and go.
Feel yourself as the stillness,
Open,
Spacious,
Untouched by what passes through.
Even your body is within this space,
Gently breathing,
Resting,
And dissolving into the wider field of awareness.
If you find yourself pulled into a story or distraction,
Simply acknowledge it and let it go.
Returning is part of the practice.
Notice the gaps in between experiences,
The moments of stillness when nothing in particular is happening.
Rest there when you can,
Without effort.
At this point,
You may sense that awareness itself is wide,
Open,
And unbounded.
Thoughts and sensations appear within it,
But they don't define it.
Rest as the awareness in which everything arises and passes.
There's nothing to fix,
Nothing to achieve,
Just this open space of knowing.
You don't need to observe or label anything.
Just be the awareness that's aware.
There's nothing to do,
Nowhere to go,
Nothing to improve.
Now gently bring your attention back to the body.
Feel the weight of your seat again,
The contact with the floor.
Notice the rhythm of your natural breathing.
Feel it again in your chest or belly.
Bring some movement to your body,
With your fingers and your toes.
And take a moment of gratitude for yourself,
For your body,
Your breath,
And the chance to pause in awareness.
Try to carry the sense of spacious openness with you into the rest of your day.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Thank you.
