Before we begin,
You may want to check in with your body to see if you can adjust your position to be just a little more comfortable.
Check your shoulders and your lower back.
Make sure that your back is straight but not stiff.
The best way to do this meditation is to keep your eyes closed,
But you may also meditate with your eyes open if that makes you feel safer.
We will begin by taking a long,
Slow,
Full breath in and a long breath out,
Releasing any tension you may be feeling.
Take another long breath in and allow your body to exhale slowly.
One more time.
Inhale and then hold while I count to three.
One,
Two,
Three.
Inhale slowly,
Allowing your body to resume its natural breathing rhythm.
To stabilize our attention,
We will do a short labeling exercise.
When you inhale,
Label it as in and when you notice your body exhaling,
Label it as out.
In and out.
Remember that mindfulness is not an exercise in control,
It is an exercise in observation and awareness.
We are not altering the way we breathe,
We are simply observing and labeling.
In,
Out.
That's it.
If you notice that your mind is wandering,
Bring it gently back to the breath.
You may want to label the distraction as thinking,
Feeling,
Hearing and so on.
And paying close attention to your breathing cycle,
In,
Out,
In,
Out.
Really call to mind something you have done or said that you felt was kind or good.
Remember a moment of generosity or caring,
Any time when you've contributed to someone's well-being.
Allow your mind to wander and recall different events from your life.
Recall how it felt to be a force for good in someone's life.
If you're having a hard time recalling the emotion,
Bring other situations to your mind as you remember them,
Paying attention to how your body is reacting.
Embrace any emotion that comes with the memory.
Let it grow and allow it to overtake you.
Observe the feeling.
Observe the thoughts that arise from the feeling.
Observe everything that happens in your body.
Every time your mind wanders away,
Come back to that feeling and stay with it a little more.
You may recall the memory again and again.
Note any resistance or fear you may be feeling.
The very core of our meditation practice is the ability to note,
Let go and come back.
If your mind is wandering away from your emotions,
You may actively employ it by recalling different situations where you helped others and as you are recalling them,
Pay attention to your body and how it reacts.
Right now we're not interested in what it means to be good.
We're only exploring how it feels to be good.
What is it like?
Simply pull away from any thoughts and emotions and come back to the breath.
Focus on the air coming in and going out through your nostrils.
Now take a deep breath in,
Hold it while I count to three,
One,
Two,
Three and exhale slowly.
Whenever you're ready,
You may open your eyes.
You may wish to stay still for a little longer,
Taking this feeling of inner goodness with you for the rest of your day.
