Pure Morning Zen - 10 Minute Daily Practice For Inner Peace

A daily morning meditation based on the beautiful principle of Shikantaza (Just Sitting) By starting the day with 10 minutes of pure Presence we ensure the trajectory is set for a peaceful day. Ensuring body and mind is grounded, centered and present each morning is a powerful habit to develop as a means alleviating the symptoms of anxiety and stress.

Transcript

We can be very light-hearted in the approach to this type of meditation, So take any position that you feel is the most appropriate and comfortable, And simply become very aware of the present moment. In the morning, We have all these ideas about the day ahead, How busy it will be, All the things we have to do, But if we look very closely at this present moment, We find that there is no day ahead. The present moment never becomes the next moment. So all ideas about the future that cause so much worry and stress, Just let them go. There is no future. It's a myth. And that leaves us with the present moment. So what to do about this present moment? Well, Don't do anything. Don't even think. Just allow the present to be as it already is. Don't try to change it. Don't try to alter it in any way. Just leave it well alone. You will likely find that there is still tension and agitation of the body and mind. This is okay. Just be aware of this in the present, And don't get involved. Whatever is present in the internal world of body and mind, Just allow that to be here, As though the body and mind is just another thing that your senses are aware of, That you can choose not to engage with. Simply remain at peace, Aware of the present moment, And that is all. You have this time at the start of the day to truly re-center and ground yourself. Much more conscious, Much more patient, So there is no rushing around. There is no hurry. Be gentle with yourself and the world. Why try to force anything? Simply observe what already is and say, All of this is fine. Notice that no time has passed since the beginning of this meditation. It has remained the present moment, Even if you periodically get lost in thoughts of future and past. It's still now. Nothing to be done. There is still no next moment. There is still no day ahead. There is only now. So just be now, And all is well. There is a vast reservoir of silence available in this present moment. That is always available, Even during busy daily activity. So become intimately familiar with this silence, So you might touch into it, Even when the mind is anxious or stressed. It's simply a place to return to, This inner quiet. Thank you for doing this meditation with me today. Take care, Be well, And stay present.

Reviews

I find this to be a foundational teaching rewarding practice.