Welcome to this Mindful Life's guided meditations to accompany the Mindfulness-Based Living Course.
If you have any concerns about your ability to do any of these meditations,
Please speak to the Course Facilitator or your GP.
Track 1.
Settling So coming to sit in an upright position,
Lowering your gaze or closing your eyes.
And while you're sitting here just inviting you to set your intentions for this meditation.
That might be to be still,
To notice the wandering mind or simply to meditate.
You might also like to bring to mind your motivations.
Why are you meditating?
Why do you want to practice mindfulness?
It might be to be more connected to others,
To notice more,
To benefit friends and family.
Just seeing whatever comes up for you.
And when you're ready now and you're in a comfortable upright position,
Just noticing the breath as it comes in and as it goes out from the body.
And as you sit here noticing the breath,
You might realise that the mind often wanders off,
Drifts off into thinking or daydreaming or planning.
Just reminding yourself that's not a mistake,
That's just what our minds do.
You might like to add some counting as you notice the breath,
So perhaps counting as you breathe in and counting as you breathe out,
If that feels right for you.
Or perhaps you'd like to try using some phrases,
So as you inhale you might like to think breathing in and as you exhale you might like to think breathing out.
Again just playing around with this,
Seeing if it works for you for the next few breaths.
And now inviting you to use whatever helps you with your focus.
So either counting all the phrases or just noticing the strong sensations of breathing and just sitting with the breath,
Allowing that to be your focus for a little bit longer.
Okay.
And when you're ready,
Letting go of any counting or phrases you might have been using.
Just bringing your awareness to your out breath.
Just allowing the out breath to be your focus.
And if your mind wanders,
Which it surely will,
Just notice where the mind went and kindly,
Gently,
Escort it back to just noticing each out breath.
Just sayin' no Lund STOR index is all you can do.
And perhaps noticing how the body has to make some effort as it breathes in.
But when we breathe out the body just effortlessly let's go.
And as you notice thoughts arising just seeing if you can be the same as your body just effortlessly letting go of each out breath.
Seeing if you can just watch the thoughts arise and just let them go.
The body breathes in and then we let go of each breath.
And thoughts arise and we can choose to just let them go.
And as we do this it's important that we're doing it in a kind and gentle way.
Congratulating ourselves when we notice we're thinking and then just gently letting go of the thoughts.
And when you're ready now just returning back to just noticing the breath just letting the breath breathe itself.
Just noticing the breath perhaps bringing awareness to your nostrils or your chest or down in the abdomen wherever you feel the breath most.
And when you're ready now letting go of awareness of the breath and very slowly kindly and gently bringing your awareness back into the room.
Perhaps noticing the sounds inside or outside the room.
Opening your eyes or raising your gaze and bringing this settling meditation to a close.
