Hi,
Welcome to this guided meditation.
In this guided meditation,
We will explore a new technique called counting the breaths.
This technique will be especially useful when you notice that your mind is a bit more agitated than usual.
For example,
You may sit one morning and notice that you keep thinking about other things in your meditation object.
Despite trying,
You may feel like you're fighting an uphill battle against the mind.
When you notice strong agitation like this,
I recommend counting the breaths.
So let's explore this technique together.
First start by closing your eyes and sitting in a comfortable posture.
We'll start by transitioning from daily life to the breath using the four step transition that you may have done already.
So first we're going to notice the sounds around us.
You may even see some lights through your eyelids.
You may notice some thoughts or sensations.
We're just observing what's happening now without judgment.
Then we're going to observe what's happening inside of our body.
What sensations are there?
Can you find some pleasant sensations?
There may be sensations of heat,
Of pressure,
Maybe some numbness,
Perhaps even some pain.
But we're just here to observe,
Not to react.
And then we're going to look at sensations produced by breathing.
We may see the expansion and contraction of our whole body.
The rising and falling of our abdomen.
And then gently we're going to let the mind settle above the upper lip,
Under the nostrils.
In this limited area we're going to watch the breath coming in and we're going to watch the breath coming out.
We're only concerned with the sensations at the nose.
But we may find now that it can be a bit hard or boring to watch the breath.
If that's the case,
We can simply count the breaths and see if we can count them up to 10.
So as we inhale we're going to be counting one.
And then as we exhale again we're going to count one.
And then as we inhale again we're going to count two.
And so forth.
And if you miss a breath or lose track of where you are counting,
Simply come back to one.
As you inhale you count.
And as you exhale you also count.
And counting like this will help the mind by giving it a small challenge.
And the mind likes challenges.
And remember,
If you lose track of the count or miss a breath without feeling of a disappointment or without a trace of aversion,
Simply come back to the breath and start counting again from one.
This is not failure.
This is mind training.
And every step of the way the mind is getting trained and is getting sharper and sharper.
And if after counting a few times you make it up to 10,
Then you can stop counting and simply watch the breath naturally as it is.
You're only using counting to help the mind stabilize.
Now let's go back to the sensations throughout the body.
Can you feel your whole body expanding,
Contracting?
Your chest and abdomen rising and falling?
Feel sensations in your legs,
In your arms,
In your whole body?
The feeling of air touching your skin?
The slight touch of your clothes on your skin?
The surrounding sounds and the sound of my voice?
Now gently open your eyes.
That was the technique of counting the breaths.
A very simple technique that you can use every time the mind is a bit more agitated.
I use it every time I begin a meditation session.
And if I make it up to 10,
Then I proceed to other techniques.
Try counting the breaths and you'll notice that it helps the mind relax quickly,
Effectively and easily.
