A Meditative Time-Out

Anyone’s who’s ever been tired, hungry and cold will know the immediate and magical powers of a nap, a cosy blanket and a snickers bar to improve how we feel. This practice is about seeing those changes happen in real time, seeing for yourself the effect that even just a few minutes can have.

Think of it like taking your own grown up ‘time out’ when things need switching up or settling down. 

Transcript

As you come into stillness,

Let your attention move around the body.

Are there any changes you want to make,

Or movements that will let you be a little more comfortable for the next few minutes?

Either closing the eyes or just softening the eyelids.

And as you sit,

Become aware of the shape of your body,

Of the form that it takes.

Notice the weight of it,

And how relaxed it becomes as you fall into stillness.

Look around the body for any areas of tension or tightness.

Let these areas soften with every exhale.

There's no need to do anything to the breath,

Just allow it to come and go naturally.

Now come to take a scan all around the body,

Looking for any of the physical sensations you're experiencing.

Begin by noticing experiences around the outermost edges of the body.

Things like the temperature of the air around you.

A touch of any clothes that brush your skin.

Your connection with the floor or the chair.

Then move that awareness inwards.

What can you feel happening within the body?

Can you feel your heart beating?

Or a light tingling in the hands or in the feet?

Now choose a physical sensation in any part of the body and allow all of your awareness to settle on it.

What form or shape does that sensation make?

How much space does it take up?

Is the sensation pleasant or do you find yourself wishing it away?

Keep your awareness on that sensation as if you're watching it play out like a movie.

Does it feel as if it's moving or shifting?

Can you watch as it changes at all?

Letting go of that awareness now and returning to the feeling of your body as a whole.

Feel the temperature of the air around you.

The weight of the body.

Has anything shifted since the start of this practice?

Has anything changed in the breath?

Stay with this awareness for as long as you like,

Noticing how differently you feel to how you were just a few minutes ago.

Whenever you're ready,

Returning to your day.