Hello,
It's Penn and I'm here to guide you through a short open awareness meditation.
Open awareness is a meditation practice that encourages a panoramic awareness of what is happening in the present moment.
Sounds,
Sensations,
Thoughts,
Feelings or even sights if practiced with the eyes open.
In an open awareness meditation we expect nothing and welcome everything with an attitude that is free of judgment.
Once again our meditation practice offers us wisdom that we can carry into our everyday lives.
This practice requires the softest of awareness,
Almost bare awareness,
Where we avoid attaching it to any particular thought,
Feeling,
Sound,
Scent or sensation.
We simply relax and receive whatever comes into our field of awareness,
Allowing ourselves to be present with whatever arises.
And just as easily as things come into our awareness we let them fall away,
No judgment,
No attachment,
Simply bearing witness.
A helpful analogy and one that appeals to me as I live in a sunny but windy part of Scotland is to imagine that you're lying on your back looking up at the blue sky.
There's a breeze that is pushing clouds across the sky overhead.
They come into your field of vision and then they pass and disappear.
And so it is with things that come into our field of awareness.
We let them arise,
Pass and then disappear.
So let's start with our practice.
Take a moment to get into a comfortable position that you'll be able to maintain for the duration of our practice today with as little movement or adjustment as possible.
It's best not to lie down in case you're tempted to take a snooze,
But there's no need to sit cross-legged if you're going to be more comfortable sitting in a chair or leaning up against a wall with your legs stretched out.
You may wish to close your eyes,
Drop your gaze to your lap or if you keep your eyes open allow them to remain soft and unfocused.
Take two long slow deep breaths in and out through the nose.
Then allow your breath to settle back to normal and let the body breathe for you.
I invite you to set an intention for your practice today.
Repeat silently.
I will open my awareness to the various sounds,
Sensations,
Thoughts and emotions that may arise.
I will allow everything to be as it is gently and without judgment.
Start by noticing your breath.
Be aware of your body breathing without trying to control or change the breath and without focusing on a particular part of the body or sensation that you're experiencing as you breathe.
Bring your awareness to the space above your head,
Observing without effort any sounds,
Sensations or movement in the space above you.
Move your awareness to the space below you,
Noticing where your body touches the cushion or the floor.
Keeping your body in restful stillness,
Bring your awareness to the space in front of you as far as your senses can reach,
Noticing effortlessly the sounds,
Sensations,
Sense and thoughts that arise and fall in front of you.
Next allow your awareness to move into the space to your right.
Move your awareness to the space behind you,
Allowing sounds,
Sensations,
Thoughts to enter and leave your field of awareness.
Bring your awareness to the space to your left.
Envision your awareness almost as a glow that fills all the space around you,
Scanning now all directions at once,
Simply witnessing the moment as it is.
Awareness is naturally spacious and expansive,
You are naturally spacious and expansive.
If your mind wanders and you find it difficult to remain present,
Bring your awareness back to the breath and allow it to settle there for a moment.
Do this as often as necessary with a kind and gentle awareness.
Try letting go of any ideas about how you think this moment ought to be and just rest with an awareness of how things actually are for you in each moment.
We'll stay here in this state of open awareness for the next few minutes.
I'll keep a track of the time and will sound a chime when the practice is drawing to a close.
When you hear the chime,
Bring your focus back to your breath and let your awareness of other things fade.
Everyone in,
Attempt one more inhale through your.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Take two long,
Slow,
Deep breaths in and out through the nose.
.
.
.
Stretching out the arms and legs and when you're ready opening your eyes.
.
I wish you a lovely rest of your day.
Namaste.
.
