We'll use one of the most common meditation objects for our practice today,
The breath,
But we're going to pay attention to some specific aspects of it that are not as commonly explored.
We'll explore the themes of expansion and contraction.
Expansion is when something increases in size or intensity,
Or opens up in some way.
Contraction is the opposite,
Where something gets spatially smaller,
Tighter,
Or diminishes.
We can detect both of these qualities in the sensations of our breath.
I've borrowed this specific practice from fellow Unified Mindfulness coach Steve James,
Also known as Guru Viking.
Let's get started.
Take a moment to stretch up tall and settle into your posture.
We're looking for a natural posture that's alert but relaxed.
Just settle in and allow your breath to flow naturally.
Just let your body determine how frequently and how deeply it wants to breathe.
To the best of your ability,
Let go of any control of your breathing,
And just for a few moments feel what it's like to breathe naturally.
Just breathing.
Now as you breathe,
Notice as you breathe in,
The quality of expansion.
Your chest expands as the air fills it up.
And then notice the quality of contraction as you breathe out.
As the air is let go,
The space in the torso contracts.
Just tune in to these expansive and contractive aspects of breathing in and out.
Inhale,
Expand.
Exhale,
Contract.
Now notice the contracting quality of breathing in as your muscles contract to bring the air in,
Creating a vacuum effect.
And notice the expansion as you exhale,
As the muscles relax and expand,
And the air flows out into the space around you.
Contraction as you inhale,
Expansion as you exhale.
Now notice as you inhale,
Both the expansive qualities and contractive qualities.
The space of the chest expands as the respiratory muscles contract,
And air is sucked into the lungs,
Inhaling expansion and contraction.
And to note both the expansion and contraction occurring as you exhale.
The space of the lungs shrinks and contracts,
And contracts,
While at the same time the muscles expand,
Relaxing,
And the air propels out.
Inhaling expansion and contraction.
Exhaling expansion and contraction.
Noticing simultaneous expansion and contraction on both the in-breath and the out-breath.
Like flow and gone,
Expansion and contraction are special qualities of experience that can lead us towards transcendence.
This is just the very tip of beginning to explore this.
Shenzhen and Unified Mindfulness have many resources on the internet,
And particularly YouTube if you wish to explore these themes further.
As we finish up our formal practice period,
Take your time to bring it to its conclusion,
And see if you can keep in touch with any aspect of the expansive and contractive qualities of experience today.
