Soothe Your Body, Settle Your Thinking (Feb 12, 26)

Just like we rock a baby for soothing, our own adult bodies need this same kind of soothing. Your body holds so much wisdom, yet we very often we miss our body's input due to the constant movement of our minds. Instead of using your mind to try to slow down your mind, settle in and allow your body's wisdom to soothe your mind.

Transcript

All right,

Good morning,

Everyone.

My name is Larissa,

And we're going to practice together for about 15 minutes.

As always,

Just this opportunity to slow down a little bit,

Spend a little time with yourself,

Take a couple of deep breaths,

And just really settle into beingness.

We do so much doing.

We're very good at doing.

It's this practice of just being.

It's being with yourself,

Which means being with your thoughts,

Which means being with your emotions.

It's just the being with.

You're welcome to close your eyes or set your gaze downward,

Just softening your external vision,

Starting to look inward.

But reminder too,

We're looking inward with the kindest eyes possible.

It's really important in our meditation that we can have a foundation where we feel safe,

Because if you close your eyes and you look inward,

And you don't feel safe in your body,

Or your inner critic is running the show,

The meditation can not only feel challenging,

You start to create a negative loop with yourself.

And we all have plenty of negative loops.

There's nothing wrong with that.

There's nothing to judge there.

It's just to recognize,

I need some tenderness.

Can I be that tenderness that I need at times?

Looking for that safe refuge within very often comes with that first choice of just choosing a posture that feels supportive.

Notice what parts of your body are touching the earth,

Touching the floor,

Touching a chair.

The parts of you that are being supported,

There's a sensation of firmness beneath you.

Just notice that.

And then from that firm foundation,

Notice the freedom of movement that you have.

Just your breath coming in and out.

Maybe you'd like to make a neck roll or a wrist roll.

Just noticing how we can hold both that deep stillness of the foundation beneath us,

But also at the same time,

Our body is still moving.

No matter how still we are,

Blood is flowing,

Heart is beating.

To be able to notice the subtlety of movement really is a deep,

Concentrated skill.

It's that subtlety of your breath coming in and out.

Where do you feel it?

Can you notice each rib shift ever so slightly as you breathe in?

And then that small space at the very bottom of your exhale,

Just noticing the emptiness,

The spaciousness there.

And then just become curious.

Notice where your mind is headed,

Where it's going.

Where it just was.

And the noticing of thinking that brings you right back to presence.

And that's enough so often.

Just,

Oh yeah,

There's thinking happening.

There's the real gentleness to that.

We don't have to let go of a thought.

We don't have to push it away.

We just notice,

Oh,

There's thinking happening.

And then just returning,

Oh,

Here's movement happening in my body.

So subtle,

Where do I feel it?

You might even notice the shift of clothing as you breathe in and out.

So deeply curious about your breath,

Just noticing where you feel it.

And then just curious again,

Where were my thoughts?

When we bring curiosity rather than judgment around our thoughts,

We bring tenderness.

Curiosity is truly the antidote to judgment.

Our mind is going to move.

And can we help it to be gentle and kind in its movement?

Our mind is so good at making judgments to keep us safe.

Our mind is constantly looking for decisions we might need to make,

Bringing them to us.

Very often it's future ideas that may never come to fruition,

But it brings us present moment tension in our body.

Just to notice that is real,

True tenderness for yourself.

So yeah,

There's thinking mind.

And instead of telling yourself the story about the thought or judging the thought or judging yourself,

Just notice,

Oh yeah,

I'm future thinking today.

That's what's happening.

But where do I feel it in my body?

Did that thought bring a tension in my body,

A form of stiffness,

Or perhaps a form of softness?

Sometimes a thought brings a smile to your face.

Very often we miss the subtleties of what the thought brings because we keep following the thought,

But just pure awareness of it.

Oh yeah,

There's thinking happening.

Did that thought bring any sensation in my body?

Where do I feel it?

And then just come back to your breath,

That gentle,

Subtle movement again and again and again.

Notice each rib expanding as you breathe in.

Invite your body,

Your jaw,

Your shoulders,

Your abdomen to soften as you exhale.

And any time our thinking takes us to a place that feels challenging,

Return to your body.

Your body is telling you what you need in the present moment.

Our thoughts are often trying to figure out something that hasn't yet happened,

Or trying to figure out something that's already happened that we can't change.

It's your body in this present moment that's telling you,

This is what I need right now.

Your body always knows exactly what to do.

And sometimes we've forgotten how to listen to our body because our minds are so brilliant in the way that speak loudly to us.

And we don't need to wait until our body is also speaking loudly.

Sometimes anxiety in the mind turns into pain in the body.

So rather than waiting until our body is also yelling,

Just like our mind at times does,

We invite in these moments of slowness.

So yeah,

There's thinking happening and it's a softening.

Oh yeah,

There's thinking happening.

Can I notice my breath?

And I'm giving myself permission to learn the wisdom of my body.

No matter how subtle,

No matter how much my mind is pulling in a new direction,

It's just right here.

My body knows exactly what to do.

Your body might be asking for softening somewhere,

A certain body part.

But very often there's a steadiness,

A stillness within our bodies.

And we just invite our mind to land in that steadiness,

A rhythmic heartbeat,

Soothing rhythmic movement of your breath.

Just like we might rock a baby.

Just let your mind be rocked by the rhythmic movement of your breath.

In these last couple of moments,

I'll invite you to place one of your hands over your chest.

Spread your fingers wide so you can feel a broad space of connection from hand to heart.

And I'll invite you just to really gently rock side to side.

You might lean forward if you're leaning back in a chair,

Just letting your body softly move side to side.

That rocking motion,

It's a really,

Really lovely way to soothe when we have thoughts that bring big sensations in our body.

Sometimes we forget that we're all just ex-babies living in an adult body.

Sometimes we need that tenderness.

And when you feel ready,

Just settling into stillness again.

Letting your hand on your heart be a reminder of your practice.

So anytime you need a little tenderness,

Just tap your hand on your heart just for a half second.

Your body remembers.

And bring your hands into any of your closing habits or practices.

We'll end as we often do with a few loving kindness phrases.

Just using your beautiful,

Brilliant mind to offer yourself and everyone around you your good wishes,

Your well-wishing.

May I seek and find contentment today.

May I be healthy and supported.

May I remember the innate goodness of my breath.

When action is needed.

May I choose to move with ease and peace.

And may the merits of our practice ripple out to benefit all beings.

I'm going slow if you can.

So whenever you feel complete,

Take your time.

Start to find a little movement.

And take a moment to thank yourself just for showing up today.

As always,

Thank you for being here,

Being part of our community,

Our sangha.

Thank you for supporting each other in this practice.

Reviews

I needed this right now. I was doing unconscious multitasking and my body was starting to let me know that I needed to stop doing that and give myself some quiet and ease. And behold here was this brand shiny new meditation from Larissa! Good medicine, my friend. Thank you so much.