Hello,
And welcome to this mindful pause meditation.
My name is Elliot and I'm a meditation instructor in Melbourne,
Australia.
It's an honor to be here with you on Insight Timer.
Settle into a comfortable posture that allows you to have a straight spine.
Finally invite the eyelids to close,
The mind to settle,
And the body to relax.
Take three deep cleansing breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
I'll guide you in and out.
In and out.
In and out.
In and out.
Breathe normally through the nose and relax now.
Be happy in the moment.
That's enough.
Each moment is all we need,
Not more.
Be happy in the moment.
That's enough.
Each moment is all we need,
Not more.
This quote by Mother Teresa is a reminder that to be alive is a gift.
If you're here with us now,
Breathing,
You are indeed a miracle and truly blessed.
If we remind ourselves to take each moment as an opportunity to be grounded and allow the natural expression of joy for being alive to blossom,
Then we can go through this life with ease,
Grace,
And happiness one moment at a time.
Telling myself that this life is a miracle and I am blessed to be here is like when I'm sitting down to nourish myself with a meal.
If I get caught up with thoughts or emotions,
I can very easily rush and scarf my food down,
Receiving little to no enjoyment from the process.
But if I take each bite with awareness of what it is I'm doing and firmly establish my seat as the observer of the moment,
I enjoy my meal immensely and feel connected to all of life.
So what is your experience of being alive right now?
What is your experience of being alive right now?
Imagine it as it is,
Even if it's unwanted.
Shift your focus to your thoughts.
Is your mind quiet or active?
It's important to understand that it's impossible to control your thoughts.
Thoughts will happen no matter what.
And one of the keys to happiness is accepting this and allowing any thoughts to arise while you practice non-attachment and non-reactivity to them.
And we do this by just letting them be as they are without judgment or trying to change them.
For thoughts may be present,
Always remember that they don't define you.
You are not your thoughts.
You are the conscious observer of your mental activity.
When you observe a thought,
Return to the miracle of simply being alive and breathing.
In through the nose.
And out through the nose.
In through the nose.
And out through the nose.
In through the nose.
And out through the nose.
In through the nose.
And out through the nose.
Now shift your awareness to your emotions.
On the scale from one being completely calm to ten being totally anxious,
Where are they?
However you may feel,
It's okay to experience these emotions.
Our emotions hold great power to us as human beings.
They can motivate us or defeat us.
Whatever emotions may be present,
Always remember that they're temporary.
You are not your emotions.
You are the conscious observer of your emotional landscape.
So for the moment,
Just let them be.
Acknowledge them and let them go.
When you observe an emotion,
Return to the miracle of simply being alive and breathing.
In through the nose.
And out through the nose.
In through the nose.
And out through the nose.
In through the nose.
And out through the nose.
In through the nose.
And out through the nose.
Finally,
Bring your mindful awareness to your body.
Recognize any immediate sensations that are present.
It could be cool,
Warm,
Hot,
Pressure,
Lightness,
Moisture,
Dry,
Pain,
Pleasure.
These sensations are what our physical bodies can detect to help us make sense of being alive.
Whether pleasant or unpleasant,
Acknowledge them without judgment or wanting to change them.
When you observe a sensation,
Return to the miracle of simply being alive and breathing.
If you can be even a little bit more comfortable in your meditation posture right now,
Feel free to adjust yourself and continue breathing in through the nose and out through the nose,
Calmly,
Deeply,
And peacefully.
Remaining present and simply breathing.
Feel yourself creating space between your mind,
Body,
And emotions.
Surrender and invite life to move freely through you,
Expanding your awareness into a more spacious experience.
Now just follow my count for the next few moments.
Breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Breathe out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Breathe out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Breathe out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Breathe out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven.
Breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Breathe out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Opening your awareness,
Creating space,
Watching,
Observing,
Just being as you are.
Full acceptance here and now.
Let go and embrace.
Continuing to breathe in deeply,
Feeling the joy of aliveness in this moment.
And breathe out deeply,
Feeling the tension flushing out of your body and mind.
And bringing this meditation to a close.
Let's take three more deep cleansing breaths.
And as you do,
Fill up your energetic bodies with a sense of gratitude for showing up to practice.
Happiness isn't something we're born with.
It's a state of being that we cultivate and practice maintaining in every moment.
Whatever comes our way.
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
And out through the mouth.
Take your own time and slowly opening the eyes once again.
See if you can take this quality of awareness with you into your day and into your life.
You should now be more accessible to the innate joy of being alive in this very moment.
May your presence be your blessing to yourself and to all.
Thank you for sharing your meditation practice with me.
Namaste.
