Self-Inquiry Meditation - Sitting In Stillness

This is a self-inquiry meditation for exploring "Sitting in Stillness".

What is it like to sit in "stillness" and to experience the "present moment"? When we give ourselves an opportunity to notice the present moment and to observe it, it can bring about an experience that reminds us that we are part of everything.

Transcript

A self-inquiry meditation for exploring sitting in stillness. What is it like to sit in stillness and to experience the present moment? When we give ourselves an opportunity to notice the present moment and to observe it, It can bring about an experience that reminds us that we are part of everything. Sitting in stillness is not a time to get lost in future thinking or daydreaming. It's about allowing ourselves to be still and rest here. Our thoughts will want to take up the silence. The moment you notice a thought, Observe that you have noticed it without getting caught up in the thought and gently return to the present moment. So when you are ready, Make yourself comfortable, Whether you are sitting on a cushion with your legs crossed or sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor or lying down. Whatever position you choose, Ensure that you are comfortable and that you can remain in this position for the next little while. Take a moment now to look around the room and notice the things in the room. Regardless if this is a room that you regularly meditate in or if it is a new space, Notice the size of the room. Notice the play of light and shade on the walls and on the furniture and notice the textures of the furnishings. Notice your relationship to these objects in the room, How close they are and how far away some of them are. Notice the position of the windows and the doors. Notice the colours. When you are ready, You may close your eyes or you can cast your eyes down to a spot in front of you. Bring your attention to your breathing and take a big deep breath in and breathe it out as a sigh. Notice as your shoulders fall away just a little more from your ears. Return to your natural breathing pattern and notice the gentle rise and fall of your chest. The expansion on the in-breath and the contraction on the out-breath. Expansion on the in-breath and contraction on the out-breath. Now bring your attention to the sounds around you, Sounds within this space and any sounds coming from outside this space. Follow a sound on its sound journey and notice the nuances of this sound as it fades away in the distance or as it comes closer toward you. Now bring your attention to what is touching you. A gentle breeze on your cheek or forehead, The clothes on your skin, The way that the cushion beneath you or behind you presses against your body. Bring your attention to any fragrances that you can smell. Oils from an oil burner, Fragrances from a candle or an incense burning. Allow those fragrances to waft over you in this moment. Take your attention to the top of your head. Notice what that feels like bringing your awareness to the very top of your head. You may feel something or you may feel nothing at all which is perfectly alright. Bring your awareness to your forehead and breathe into your forehead and feel your forehead soften. Breathe into your eyes, To the area behind your eyes and feel your eyes soften. Breathe into your temples and feel your temples soften and any tension release. Breathe into your jaw and feel your jaw soften and any tension release. Breathe into your whole face and feel your whole face soften. Breathe into the back of your head and to the base of your neck where your neck muscles join the base of your head. Breathe into that area and feel it soften. Breathe into your neck muscles, Breathe into your throat, Breathe into your shoulders and feel your shoulders soften. Breathe into your collarbone and feel your collarbone just drop with your shoulders as any tension is released. Breathe into your upper arms and into your elbows and into your forearms. Breathe into your wrists and into your hands. Breathe into the soft part of your fingers. Breathe into your thumb, Your index finger, Your middle finger, Your ring finger and little finger. Breathe into your whole hand and into your whole arms. Breathe into your upper back and you may feel like stretching up just a little bit more just to straighten your spine. Breathe into your mid-back and into your lower back and feel your whole back soften. Breathe into the back of your pelvis and into your hips. Breathe into your hamstrings and into your thigh muscles. Breathe into your knees, Your kneecaps and underneath your kneecaps. Breathe into your shins and your calf muscles. Breathe into your ankle bones, Into the arches of your feet, Into the soles of your feet, Into the tops of your feet. Breathe in and soften your big toes, Your second toes, Your third toes, Your fourth toes and your little toes. Breathe into your feet, Breathe into your legs. Now bring your attention to your pelvis. Breathe into your pelvis, Into your organs surrounded by your pelvis. Breathe into your torso and the organs protected by your torso. Breathe into your chest and into your ribcage. Breathe into your heart. Place a hand over your heart and feel the warmth beneath your hand and feel the warmth expanding over your chest area. As this warmth expands up into your throat and into your head, Down your arms and into your torso, Down your legs as if it is a nourishing, Warming, Loving feeling generated from your heart. Allow this beautiful, Loving feeling to surround you and notice what it feels like to be in this feeling of loving awareness that you have created. Bring your attention to your breath and allow your body to sink deeper into the surface beneath you. Notice how the surface beneath you is holding you and supporting you. Give yourself permission to take some time for yourself now. Return to your breathing and notice what it feels like to be breathing in and out in this present moment as you sit here in stillness, Not having to go anywhere or do anything, Just resting in the stillness. Take some time now to experience the stillness in this present moment. Gently deepen your breathing and return to the experience of sitting or lying in the space. Bring your attention back to your body, Face, Chest, Tummy. You may want to wriggle your fingers and your toes and with this awareness of your body, Include the feeling of the experience of sitting in stillness that you have just been aware of and continue to experience this feeling throughout the rest of your day. Take a deep breath in and let it out as a sigh and when you're ready, You may open your eyes. Take a few moments to adjust to your surroundings. Notice how you're feeling and allow yourself to go gently throughout your day. Thank you for joining me for this meditation, A self-inquiry meditation for exploring sitting in stillness.