Touch of the Hands

A four-minute guided meditation giving basic instructions on how to meditate with gentleness, permission, and curiosity. You have permission to allow your mind to wander, to feel your emotions and sensations, and to be kind to your thinking. You can do these instructions or not do them, as you choose. You can become interested in any part of your experience of meditation if you let yourself be curious. Try these instructions and when the meditation is over take a moment to reflect back on it and write about it or record your impressions.

Transcript

Take a moment to adopt a meditation posture.

This can either be sitting cross-legged or sitting in a chair,

Lying down on your back,

Or any posture that is comfortable for you and that you can remain in for the next 20 minutes.

Once you're ready,

Bring your attention to the touch of your hands,

Your hands touching your legs or your hands touching the ground beside you if you're lying down.

And just bring your attention to the touch of your hands and the external contact.

You can notice the weight of your hands,

How it feels against your thighs or on the ground or floor.

But don't try to hold your attention there too strongly.

Instead,

Allow your mind to wander.

Allow thoughts,

Emotions,

Sounds,

Whatever else is going on.

And every so often,

You can always bring your attention back to the touch of your hands.

Let yourself be kind to your thoughts.

And let yourself just be gentle,

Softened,

More allowing.

There's nothing for you to accomplish here.

You're just sitting,

Being aware of whatever it is you're experiencing,

Allowing your mind to be as it is.

If you feel a bit more connected with your body or your breath,

You can also let your attention go there.

Or if you feel more drawn to the sounds around you,

Including my voice,

You can just let your attention rest on that.

But you don't need to hold your attention anywhere.

The nature of an open meditation practice is to really be kind to yourself while you meditate and allow anything to happen.

Even if you need to move,

You can move.

But once you move,

Just stay in that posture for a little while.

Now see if you can do this without any further instructions for the next 15 minutes.

And if you feel like you need to end early,

That's also a kindness to yourself.

And you can always decide just to stop,

Open your eyes,

And get on with the day.

Reviews

Thank you for the openness and the grace allowed in this format 🙏

The sound and resonance of your voice and the simple instructions, guided me deeper into a space of inner awareness of my Being in a body sitting. Thank you 🙏 Ari

This is a really helpful summary of basic Recollective Awareness instruction, thank you so much!

Thank you, I have used this twice now and find it a very helpful framework.

Very simple and calming. I will use this often when I just need to still my body and relax

Many Thanks and blessings to you for this truly wonderful meditation❣️
What a freedom it is to just “go with the flow” and be able to truly enjoy your thoughts, feelings, movements, and to do, or not do, any or all of those, until you want to end your meditation. Simply Brilliant❗️🌹

Subtle and profound, disguised as short and simple!

I really liked this as an introduction to a meditation session. Thank you.

Exactly what I needed... thank you so much.

A welcome fresh approach to a more relaxed style of meditation.

Some great thoughts on meditation to allow what "is," to accept what "is" and to be present to what "is!"

I like how it launches you into self guided mediation.

Love this approach⚘very relaxing.

I really need to be gentle with myself when it comes to meditation. Thank you

Simple. I appreciate the emphasis on kindness to myself during meditation, since that is a struggle for me.

Your voice reminds me a bit of Mr. Rogers, especially when your said “a little while” :-).

This is a really good idea because it gives you the lead into meditation which can be continued once the guidance finishes. Wonderful thank you.