MOL: Greeting Yourself As You Are

This is a Virtual Meditation on the Lawn session hosted by the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia with the guest facilitator, Nicole Ruzek. This guided meditation focuses on greeting yourself, just as you are. Virtual Meditation on the Lawn is a free online live program hosted from September through May.

Transcript

Hello everyone. Welcome to this Monday's meditation on the lawn offered by the University of Virginia. My name is Nicole Ruzek and I'm the director of counseling and psychological services, A unit within the Department of Student Health and Wellness. The title of today's meditation is greeting yourself just as you are. This meditation allows us the opportunity to practice letting go of striving, Craving, Aversion, And desire. Rather, We invite ourselves to hold our experience just as it is. There's no need to change or fix or control anything. Really greeting ourselves just as we are. Without further introduction, Let's begin. So beginning by finding a position that works for you, Allowing yourself to settle into your body, Allowing the spine to be straight, Yet relaxed at the same time. And so finding a sense of both ease and alertness and either closing your eyes gently or keeping them softly focused in front of you. And as you settle into your preferred position, Allowing for an openness to experience. So inviting whatever it is to be what it is in this moment. And over the next few minutes, We'll practice greeting our experiences with curiosity, With openness, And with acceptance. And in doing so, Build a greater capacity for compassion for ourselves and for others. So as you settle in, Perhaps beginning to notice your body, What it feels like today, Just as it is. Becoming aware of physical sensations, Both internal and external. Noticing temperature and pressure, Noticing movement, Fluctuation, Noticing tightness or ease. Allowing whatever is present in your body to make itself known to you. This may in fact be the first time you've checked in with your body today. So really taking a moment to notice what's there and greeting whatever is there just as it is. There's no need to change or fix or control anything. Just showing up for whatever's there. Knowing that there's nothing you need to do with whatever you're experiencing right now. Just noticing. And as you begin to bring this awareness to the body, Perhaps starting to also notice the activities of the mind. It tends to want to take over rather quickly, Either diverting us from whatever we're already focusing on or trying to keep us tethered to something elsewhere. So just noticing your mind, How it's showing up today. Whatever it is, It's perfectly natural. It is what it is. So as you continue to invite the mind into your awareness, Perhaps noticing thoughts as they come and they go. Perhaps becoming aware how one thought leads to the next and the next and the next. Is this activity subtle? Rapid? Clear? Buzzy? However it is, Whatever it is, Greeting the mind just as it is. Even if the thoughts come in the form of judgment or distraction, Just noticing that. Just as it is. Without changing anything. And in becoming aware of the mind and the body, Perhaps also beginning to notice emotion. There might be excitement or sadness, Joy, Grief, Disgust. Greeting any and all emotion without a need to change anything. Allowing it to be just as it is. There may be absence of emotion, Noticing that, Or very subtle emotion. Or perhaps emotion that feels quite large. Knowing you are exactly what and where you need to be in this moment. Just as you are. There is no need to change anything. Just noticing. Being with. Allowing yourself space to be perfectly whole in this moment just as you are. For the final part of this meditation, I invite you to bring an image of yourself to mind. Now that you've checked in with yourself, Bringing as vivid and clear picture of yourself as you can, As possible. As if you were sitting directly across from yourself. Noticing your features, Your eyes, Your shoulders, Your breath. Taking yourself in just as you are. And then I invite you to say either silently or aloud to yourself, A greeting and then your name. So something like good morning, And then your name. Doing so now. And noticing what happens in the body, In your mind, In your emotions, As you greet yourself just as you are. To bring this meditation to a close, I'll ring the bell three times and you can very gently bring yourself back to wherever you are in your space. Thank you all so very much for joining me today. It's been my honor to share this time with you. Have a good week.

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