So as we prepare for this mindfulness of breath or body meditation,
Just a reminder that this is a practice where we will begin again over and over.
And thoughts are mental events that can entrance us.
So we can drift away and get lost for a time in particular kinds of thoughts.
Things like remembering or planning or worrying,
Just a myriad of ways that the thoughts can drift away.
And strong emotions may arise that also can captivate attention.
Our strong body sensations can take us away from our anchor.
So many things can arise in just a few minutes of sitting.
So we just begin again,
Knowing that we can always reconnect with the breath or body.
And there's no need for harshness or judgment,
Knowing that this is just what happens.
So we practiced over and over,
Gently anchoring attention in something that's always here,
Breath or body.
In the book Sitting Together by Pollock,
Padula and Siegel,
The words of meditation teacher Larry Rosenberg are cited.
And he says,
If you have to come back a thousand times in a five minute period of sitting,
Just do it.
It's not a problem unless you make it into one.
So sitting comfortably,
Finding a posture that offers ease and alertness and feeling into the body and just noticing if there's any tightness or tension,
Allowing any needed adjustments if it's possible to soften or release.
And you might find it helpful to have eyes closed or just softly gazing at the area in front of you.
And finding the breath,
Perhaps taking a couple of deeper breaths to offer some clearing while settling into the practice.
A deep inhale and a slow,
Complete exhale.
And again,
Deep inhale and a very slow,
Full exhale.
And then just allowing the breath to breathe itself,
Resuming the natural rhythm of breathing.
And with a curious observation,
Beginning to sense where breath is easiest to feel today or where it's most pleasant.
Maybe as breath enters the nostrils or perhaps the back of the nose or into the throats.
Perhaps as it's making its way to the lungs or even deep into the belly.
Maybe it's as breath exits the body where it's most vivid.
Perhaps it's in the rising and falling of the chest or the belly.
Just noticing in any of the myriad ways that awareness of breath can happen.
What is the way that's most evident during this sit?
And if it's difficult to feel the breath or uncomfortable,
Perhaps shifting the observation to body sensations.
Maybe there are sensations in the hands or feet where attention can rest.
Or maybe in sensations of sound or perhaps the sensations of touch points.
As the body is making contact with the seat,
As gravity is making contact with the body.
Just knowing that breath and body are always here and are a home base to right here,
Right now.
So whether breath or body sensation,
Just allowing this place that is most pleasant or most vivid to be where awareness is anchored.
Knowing that whenever attention drifts away,
That this is the place to return to again and again.
And where is attention now?
Knowing that every moment of noticing attention has drifted is a moment of mindfulness.
Gently,
Kindly,
Escorting awareness back to breath or back to body.
Sensing the rising and falling with the in-breath and the out-breath.
You might follow a whole cycle of breath.
The beginning and middle and end of the inhale.
And the beginning and middle and end of the exhale.
This rhythmic life force always here in this body.
And remembering to begin again if something has captivated attention.
Away from the anchor.
Noticing and gently reuniting attention to the anchor.
No judgment.
Just knowing this is how we cultivate mindfulness.
Returning again and again to breath or to body.
Returning again and again to right here,
Right now.
Noticing the quality of presence each time contact is established back with the anchor is a homecoming.
And as we prepare to end this meditation with the sound of the bell,
I'd like to share these brief words from meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg.
She says,
That's life.
Starting over one breath at a time.
