In this meditation,
We will find our way back to calm by becoming resourced by the beauty of the world around us.
The external world can be a place of refuge when our inner world is swirling and twirling.
We will begin with a spoken section and then go into a period of gently guided practice.
So get comfortable.
Sometimes we will find that we just can't sit still with ourselves and that self-soothing seems a tricky thing to do.
Sometimes,
Try as we might,
Our nervous system is just so jangled that we struggle to stay still and meditate.
Our inner world may not always be the most comfortable place to hang out in,
Particularly if we have trauma in our physiology.
We can struggle to be fully present with our inner experience sometimes.
That's really okay.
We can learn to regulate our own nervous system by attuning to something calming outside of our self.
We can get present with the information that comes in through our senses and it will stop the stories whirling and twirling in our mind.
Today we will learn to literally come to our senses,
To let the sensory input soothe us as we choose to attune to things that will lift our spirits and lighten our load.
It's still a potent meditation practice to be present with something in the environment that surrounds us.
We meditate to get better at being with our own lives,
To practice being with what is.
So it's an excellent exercise to practice being conscious with the world around us.
Sometimes we need to keep seeking out beauty.
We need to know that we can reach towards it,
That we can resource ourselves with things that will help us bounce back.
We can use the secret superpower of attunement where we literally tune our nervous system down a notch or two by tuning into something that is calmer and more spacious than whatever's going on inside of us.
Attunement is why we feel better walking in nature.
We can literally bathe in the beauty around us.
Attunement is what we might sense when we walk into a very old place of praise and you can feel the centuries of practice that has happened there.
Attunement is why we feel good around monks and those who meditate a lot.
We can choose something in our outer world which will serve us way better than social media or screen time for our attention to rest in.
When times are tough we literally have to train ourselves to turn towards what is good.
So let us practice now.
Find something in your environment that inspires you,
That brings a little bit of joy.
Perhaps you can see clouds out of the window or a house plant or a smooth pebble that you happen to have in your room.
A picture of a landscape or the beautiful grain of the wood on your coffee table.
Choose something that brings you joy when you encounter it.
And really start to take that thing in through your senses.
Notice the pattern on it.
Look at the shapes and the colours,
The texture,
The nuances.
Become intimate with this thing in front of you.
If it is something you can touch then feel it.
Whether it feels warm or cool in your hand.
Be present with the world around us.
And as a discipline to keep bringing our attention back to this one thing.
To look closely at it,
To notice it.
Try and look beyond the one word definition of what it is you are looking at.
To see all the tiny parts of it.
We are looking with beginners mind,
With curiosity,
With wonder.
Wow,
I have never seen it like that before.
And then choose something else that pleases you.
Maybe there is a candle lit or a fleecy blanket on your sofa.
Or there is steam rising from your cup of tea.
Or your dog is sleeping next to you.
Choose something in your external environment that lifts your spirit,
That brings you joy.
And sit with that thing.
Noticing it.
We are not thinking about it.
We are experiencing it through our senses.
Practicing being present with what is.
With something that brings us joy.
When our attention is gathered,
Things seem brighter,
Clearer.
We notice that we notice the delicate details.
We develop a sense of wonder at the world around us.
Wow,
Here I am being human,
Engaging with this life around us that I take for granted.
How ordinary,
How remarkable.
And take one more thing.
Maybe it is sunlight through the window or the rug.
Or the beautiful picture on the cover of a book.
Let this thing hold your gaze.
Let it be a safe place to bring your attention into.
When we get present to the world around us,
We can touch into our inner world in a way that is less intense.
We can be with our outer experience.
And our inner world will naturally settle down some.
Part of a meditation practice is wise action.
Is knowing what we need in this moment.
Do we need to be with our breath?
Or will it serve us more to be with the world around us to resource ourselves,
To build our own resilience,
To come back to things that lift us up.
So once again we'll practice coming to our senses.
Look at the world around you,
The place in which you're meditating.
Look with a wide gaze.
Feel whatever surface you're sitting on or laying on.
Feel the contact of your hands and whatever they're resting on.
See if there's a smell or an aroma in the air.
Listen in to the sounds around us in the distance.
Feel the music on this meditation.
Maybe there's traffic or birds on the outside.
Our sensory input will always lead us back to the present moment to receiving reality in this moment.
It is a potent practice just to sit here and receive what is in the world around us.
I thank you for taking the time today to practice,
To come to your senses.
To be present in the world in this time is an amazing and brave thing.
Have a yawn and a stretch and return to your day when you are ready.
Take good care dear ones.
Be well.
