A Simple Course in Meditation Session 4 Hi,
I'm G.
S.
Renfri.
Welcome to the fourth session in the series.
If this is your first time dropping in,
Please be aware that this is a solo flight into the breath-based meditation known as anapanasati and there will be little direction provided.
If this form of meditation is new to you,
You might want to complete the previous sessions in the series.
For those who have been here since the beginning and have practiced each step along the way,
Congratulations!
You've persisted and endured through one of the most challenging endeavors that the Western mind can take upon itself,
Learning to be mindful.
The sessions that follow this one explore other meditation techniques but the most fundamental and important is the breath-based meditation anapanasati.
It's something of a gold standard in meditation and through regular practice,
Your ability to experience total presence for longer periods of time will increase and this will begin to inform your day-to-day experiences.
It will also enhance your capacity to explore and use the numerous variations of meditation available.
For now,
Let's begin our solo flight.
I won't provide any directions once we begin but periodically I will sound this single note chime as a reminder for you to redirect your focus in case your mind has wandered.
If you find this helpful,
You can customize the timer feature on the Insight Timer app to provide meditations of any length you wish with gentle embedded reminders of your choice.
Alternately,
If you prefer to follow a guided meditation of this sort,
You can access my Insight Timer sessions entitled Anapanasati 1 and 2.
These are 10 and 20 minutes long respectively.
At around the 15 minute point,
I will mark the end of this recording with a deeper two-note bell.
If you wish,
You can continue your meditation for as long as you like.
Let me take a moment now to thank you ahead of time for meditating with me today.
It is my sincere hope that now and in all days to come,
You will be safe and comfortable and know peace and happiness.
As you prepare yourself for this meditation,
Sit in a position of ease and comfort.
Sit with the grace and dignity that befits the importance of your practice.
It's time to be present here and now.
Take a moment to check in with yourself.
How calm or scattered is your mind at this moment?
How are you feeling emotionally?
How does your body feel?
Are there any places of discomfort?
However you find yourself in this moment,
Simply accept it as it is.
Now center your attention on your breathing,
Perhaps with a few complete breaths or cycles of nadi shadana.
Allowing your breathing to return to its natural rhythm,
Focus your attention on a breath sensation that your awareness favors at this time.
Have a great meditation.
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