Standing meditation is one of the most powerful ways to get our minds to slow down.
I'm Jennifer Norton and this is a brief standing meditation.
I invite you to think of what our bodies are used to doing when we're simply standing.
We're usually standing in line,
Looking at something,
Having a conversation with someone.
And very rarely do we stand and do nothing,
Even when we're waiting.
Standing brings our bodies and our minds into alertness.
And in this way,
Standing meditation is one of the quickest ways to bring ourselves into the present moment,
Into the now.
And it's an excellent method to recharge our battery.
So if you've never done standing meditation before,
Don't do it for more than five minutes at a time at the beginning.
And then you can go on longer once you become familiar with it.
I advise you to find a broomstick or a walking stick or a cane or a chair or something that you can lean on so that you don't lose your balance.
And hold on to your balancing utensil of choice,
Broom,
Cane,
Chair,
Wall.
And just place your feet hip-width apart.
Look straight ahead.
And close your eyes halfway,
But not all the way.
Tune into your breathing for a few moments.
Feel the lifting and falling of your belly.
Let your belly be soft.
Pay attention to your lower stomach.
Hmm.
Focus simply on the feeling of having your feet on the ground and of breathing.
Focus simply on the feeling of having your feet on the ground and of breathing.
If you find it hard to focus,
You can silently or quietly repeat Thich Nhat Hanh's beloved meditative verse.
Breathing in,
I know that I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I know that I am breathing out.
Allow any emotions to be in the room with you,
But do not focus on them.
When your mind wanders into thoughts and stories,
Gently and kindly bring it back to focusing on your breathing and on the feeling and experience of your body standing still.
After five minutes,
Open your eyes.
Take a few deep breaths.
Be kind and gentle with yourself as you butterfly your eyes back open and adjust to your environment.
And notice you've slowed down more than you might have thought.
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