So we're going to begin our meditation with the sound of the bell.
And we just use the sound of the bell as a way to focus our minds and a way to connect with our breathing.
When we hear the sound of the bell,
We breathe in and breathe out at least three times mindfully.
We also want to ensure that you're sitting in a nice comfortable posture,
Maybe feeling your feet on the ground,
Your buttocks and thighs in the chair,
The whole weight of the body going down,
The height of the body rising up.
And then you can close your eyes or lower them as we listen to the sound.
So we're going to begin with the sound of the bell.
So we're going to begin with the sound of the bell.
So as you take some time today just to sit and be with no goal,
No agenda,
No attainment,
We know that we can't do it wrong.
Allowing ourselves to be human beings,
Not human beings.
There's really nothing you need to do.
And everything I say is an invitation.
So you just come along with me as best as you can.
It can be nice to place one or two hands over the heart or on the belly or another soothing place.
This reminds us that we're not just paying attention but we want to pay loving attention to ourselves,
To our bodies,
To our breath.
So this is a mindfulness of breathing meditation.
Mindfulness is always mindfulness of something.
Mindfulness of breathing is when I breathe in,
I know that I am breathing in.
When I breathe out,
I know that I am breathing out.
I am breathing in.
I am breathing out.
In out.
In out.
And just repeating the words in out.
That's a meditation.
It may help you to focus the attention onto the breath.
So mindfulness is about attention but it's attention in a particular way.
Kindness,
Tenderness and without judgement.
We're just noticing.
And if you find that your mind wanders off,
Which it will,
It's just the nature of the mind.
We have wandering minds.
So it's okay,
It's not a problem.
We notice it's a moment of mindfulness.
And our job is to gently and kindly,
Without judgement,
Bring the mind back once again to rest on the breath.
Following the inhale,
Following the exhale.
Even if the mind wanders off a million times,
We bring it back a million times.
Back to the body breathing.
Feet on the floor.
Maybe the hand on the chest.
The breath moving in the body.
Breathing in,
I allow my breath to go deeper.
Breathing out,
I allow my breath to go slower.
I am breathing in,
I am breathing out.
Deep.
Slow.
I am breathing in,
I am breathing out.
Breathing deeply,
Breathing slowly.
We can enjoy our inhale,
Enjoy our exhale.
Taking our time.
Our breath Finance natural or falsified.
Breathing in,
I am aware that there is calm inside and outside of me.
Calm is possible.
Calm is here.
I've generated this calm with my mindful breathing.
Breathing out,
I am aware that there is ease inside and outside of me.
Ease is here.
Ease is possible.
The ease of the exhalation.
You may like to make each of your exhalations that little bit longer,
That little bit slower.
Breathing in,
Calmly.
Breathing out with ease.
Calmly,
Easily.
Calm,
Ease.
Calm and ease are always here.
They're always with us.
Just get covered over with all our stuff.
So with our mindful breathing,
We can go back once again to that safe island of mindfulness within.
A place of calm and ease.
Breathing in,
I remember to smile.
When we become practitioners of mindfulness,
We realise that smiling is a mindfulness practice.
A smile causes all the muscles in the face,
Around the eyes,
Around the jaw to soften and relax.
A smile reminds us to hold it all lightly.
We know that if we can still smile,
Even in the midst of everything,
Then we're really present.
We're really here.
We can get in touch with all the wonderful and supportive elements of the present moment.
A smile reminds us to hold it all lightly,
Not too good,
Too serious.
We're just breathing in,
Breathing out.
We don't need to try too hard.
We can smile with our heart,
Smile with our liver.
Smile as we breathe.
Breathing out,
I can release all tension from my body and all tension from my mind.
Breathing in,
Smiling.
Breathing out,
Releasing tension.
Smiling,
Releasing.
Smiling,
Releasing,
Relaxing,
Letting go,
Letting be.
Just for this one moment.
Breathing in,
I am aware of this present moment.
All the elements making up this moment.
My body's sitting.
The sensations in my body.
Pleasant sensations.
Unpleasant sensations.
Maybe even noticing some neutral sensations.
My body is alive.
I'm aware of signs,
All the signs making up this present moment.
Can you hear the birds in the distance?
A car.
A sign of my own breathing.
I'm aware of my thoughts.
Watch them come,
Watch them go.
I'm aware of my moods and my feelings.
I'm trying to change anything or make anything different.
Just for this moment,
I notice how it is.
Breathing out,
I know that this moment is the only moment that I'm truly alive.
The past is gone.
The future is not yet here.
All I have is this continuous present.
Breathing in,
Aware of this present moment.
Breathing out,
Knowing it's the only moment.
Present moment.
Only moment.
Present moment.
Only moment.
Breathing in,
I'm aware of this moment.
This moment right here,
Right now.
Breathing out,
I know that in this moment I'm safe.
I feel it in my body,
I'm safe right now.
I'm well enough.
I may have a few issues here and there but I'm still able to be here,
To meditate,
To practice.
Well enough to practice,
To follow my breathing.
There's nowhere to go and there's nothing to do.
So even just for these three reasons,
I know that this moment is a wonderful moment.
Breathing in,
Aware of this present moment.
Breathing out,
Knowing it's a wonderful moment.
Dwelling in this present moment,
I know it is a wonderful moment.
Present moment.
Wonderful moment.
Present moment.
Wonderful moment.
And we finish with the sound of the bell.
The sound of the bell is a voice calling me back to my true home,
To the here and the now.
The sound of the bell is a voice calling me back to my true home,
To the here and the now.
The sound of the bell is a voice calling me back to my true home,
To the here and the now.
