Namaste.
This meditation is one that you can do in an upright posture,
But if for any reason it feels better for you to be reclining or standing as you practice,
You may take that posture and adjust the instructions as they best work for your body.
We'll begin the practice by taking a few easy breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth as if quieting a small room.
It will sound something like this.
Continue for a few rounds breath moving in through your nose,
Sending out a hush sound on your exhale.
Now bring awareness to the sensations in your neck,
Perhaps also where your neck attaches to your shoulders.
With awareness resting here,
Take an inhale and let your left ear begin to drape towards your left shoulder.
Take a few breaths with your arms and hands relaxing down towards the earth,
Extending through the crown of your head,
Perhaps even mimicking a yawn to let the muscles in your jaw and the sides of your neck release more tension.
Finding stillness once more and on your next exhale,
Letting your head return upright towards a neutral position.
Take another neutralizing breath in through your nose.
When you're ready,
Take another deep breath in and as you exhale,
Let your right ear drape towards your right shoulder.
Taking a few breaths,
Releasing this side of your neck.
Notice a yawn.
Finding stillness.
When you're ready,
Exhaling and letting your head arrive upright and neutral atop your shoulders.
From here,
Take one more neutralizing breath in through your nose.
The premise of today's meditation is that no matter what is happening around you,
No matter whether you're enjoying a wonderful moment or you are discomforted by a difficult moment,
That you can cultivate equanimity,
The ability to see everything as a passing wave,
Temporary.
So continuing your practice,
You might open your eyes if they've been closed and take in exactly what is before you.
Seeing what is around you takes your mind to what is outside of your body.
When you're ready,
Let your mind consciously move back in towards your body,
Either through lowering your eyelids until your gaze becomes vague and fuzzy,
Or letting your eyelids close completely.
Face all effort of needing to look,
To understand,
Or even to discern what is outside of yourself.
Rest your eyes.
Open your senses to what you can hear,
Letting them extend outward,
Your sense of hearing expanding as wide as it can,
Listening for sounds that are far,
Listening for sounds that are closer to you.
And then recognize the subtlest of sounds within you,
The soft vibration of air passing through your nostrils or your throat.
Release all effort of needing to listen,
Understand,
Or even discern what is outside of yourself.
Rest your ears.
Notice there is a taste inside of your mouth.
You need not focus on what has created this taste.
Use your need to alter or even describe the taste inside of your mouth.
Relax your tongue,
Your lips,
Your jaw,
Your throat.
There is a scent inside of your nostrils,
And you need not name or change what creates the scent.
Relax your nostrils.
Your skin can feel the weight of clothing.
It can feel the currents or the stillness of the air around you,
The temperature.
It senses the pressure of what you are sitting on.
Release all effort of needing to feel,
Understand,
Or discern what is outside of your skin,
And turn your attention inwards.
Inside,
There is a current on which you can ride.
This current is your breath,
And this breath shows you waves.
It shows you the quality of a perfect wave,
A wave that rises to a peak and descends to a trough.
No matter where you find yourself in this cycle,
No matter what part of the wave,
Some part of you is watching.
This part of you cares not if it is seeing a peak or a trough.
It watches with equanimity,
Understanding that all is temporary.
For the next few rounds of breath,
Be a witness,
Watch the waves.
All is permanent,
Temporary,
And yet duplicate.
This moment,
Too,
Will pass.
As you continue your practice,
If it serves you,
You can add a silent phrase,
A mantra,
Breathing in,
Silently repeating the word this,
Breathing out,
Silently repeating the word to,
Inhaling this,
Exhaling to,
This to,
This to.
Witness what it's like to be in a space of acceptance.
Yes,
This too,
And this too.
For the next few moments,
As my voice goes away,
Whatever part of this practice speaks to you,
Whether it's following your breath and watching the waves or repeating the mantra,
Let your practice be a ground for cultivating the quality of equanimity.
Yes,
This too,
And this too.
This too,
And this too.
If it serves you,
Let your hands come to meet one another at the center of your chest in Anjali Mudra,
A prayer pose,
A union of left and right,
Before and after,
You at the center,
Balanced.
In a place of equanimity,
No one,
No single event can take your peace.
In a place of equanimity,
Passing moments are precious,
But you know how to let them go.
Your next breath is right here to meet you.
