Welcome to Waking Waves,
This moment.
In this meditation we'll be practicing for about 10 minutes.
It's a practice to help ground us in the present moment.
So,
Take a moment to find a comfortable position,
Whether sitting,
Standing or lying down.
You may wish to bring cushions for support or a blanket for warmth.
Bringing an alertness to your posture,
But not tensed.
Your shoulders and arms can be relaxed by your sides or resting on your lap.
Your eyes can be closed if possible or your gaze slightly lowered.
And remembering for the minutes ahead that this is a space and time you have put aside for yourself.
There's nowhere else you need to be,
Nothing else you need to do.
Just being here in this moment.
And to begin the practice,
Becoming aware of what is going on in your mind and body right now.
What thoughts or feelings might be present.
Whether we've just woken up or paused during a day,
There can be a lot going on,
A lot present.
So for the moment,
Just noticing and acknowledging what is here.
Not attempting to change anything or labeling anything as good or bad,
Right or wrong.
Just opening to whatever is present,
Letting it be as it is.
It's already here after all.
And if you notice nothing,
That is okay too.
At times when we take notice of the moment,
We might get carried away to the past and the future.
To our plans and concerns,
Our memories and daydreams.
And if this happens at any point,
We can accept that the mind has wandered.
And gently return our attention without judgment to the present moment.
This is where we intended to be after all.
So,
Bring your attention to the space in which you are in.
There might be sounds in the room or the place where you are.
Softer or louder sounds.
Sudden or continuous sounds.
Or perhaps there is silence interrupted by sounds.
There may be a sense of temperature in the air,
A warmth or coolness.
You might even feel the air on your skin.
And whether you are sitting,
Standing or lying down,
Take a moment to notice the surface that supports you.
It could be the pressure of the floor or surface beneath you as it holds you steady.
A feeling of being rooted or grounded.
A sense of stability and balance.
Or the support of a chair or cushion against your back or legs.
Your arms resting by your side or on your lap.
There may be sensations in your body too,
Whether contact or pressure with the surfaces beneath.
Or perhaps tingling or pulsing sensations in your hands or feet.
Or even elsewhere in the body.
Whatever you do notice,
However small,
Tuning in for a moment.
Noticing how they come and go.
Not attempting to change anything,
Not looking for anything.
Just noticing what is present and allowing them to come and go.
For the moments ahead,
Perhaps,
Noticing what sensations you experience the most.
What changes from moment to moment.
And while we are here focusing on sensations,
See if you notice any movements too.
It could be the gentle rise and fall of the chest or belly as you breathe in and out.
Or maybe slight movements in the arms,
Back or shoulders.
Some movements may be bigger and more obvious.
Some may be smaller or more subtle.
Perhaps picking one movement for now and staying here with it if it's comfortable for you.
It might help to notice how the breath affects the movement.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Does the movement change?
Try this now for yourself in the silence ahead.
And if you wish to stop following the movement at any point,
You could return to the sensations in your body.
Often when we narrow our attention in this way,
We can get distracted.
Pulled away by our thoughts,
Plans or memories to the busyness of our lives.
It happens to everyone.
This is normal for all of us.
But if it does happen each and every time,
It is possible to acknowledge that our mind has wandered.
And we can return back to wherever we were focusing our attention.
To the space we occupy or to the sensations in the body.
To the breath.
To this moment we are in right now.
And as we come towards the end of the practice,
Recognizing that this sense of presence,
This being here,
Is always available when you need it.
Always available wherever you find yourself.
Always available in this moment.
