Hi everyone,
Welcome to your guided focused sound meditation.
Before we get started,
I wanted to share just a few thoughts about this method.
Our minds are naturally meant to be active.
They need an object on which to focus.
So the key to meditation is to train our mind to refocus from our habitual thought patterns and mind chatter to a quieter point of focus,
Which for this method will be towards a steady sound,
One that's easy to focus on but doesn't provoke a train of further thoughts,
Feelings or reminders of our past.
By focusing on a steady sound,
You steady your mind.
The question is not whether or not thoughts will enter your mind,
Because they will.
The question is how will you respond when they come?
As you first get started,
It may feel like work.
However,
I want to assure you that in your daily practice and over time,
It will become easier,
Just like with any new skill that we learn.
So please be easy and compassionate with yourself and trust in the process.
I want your sitting meditation to be enjoyable for you.
The only goal or intention we have here right now is to feel good and to refresh our mind and body.
Let's get started.
Begin by finding a quiet space.
Prepare yourself by sitting down in an upright position.
Your back is supported.
Your head is free to move.
And your hands can rest gently in your lap.
Your feet can either be on the ground or crisscrossed.
You'll just want to find a position that you can comfortably maintain for the next 10 to 15 minutes.
Now close your eyes.
Find a balance somewhere between alertness and relaxation.
Allow yourself to fully arrive here in this space and in this moment.
Let's check in with your body.
Feel the sensations in your body.
Are there areas that are holding tension?
You may want to gently allow some movement into those areas to soften the tension.
You might slowly wiggle or open and close your jaw a few times.
Roll your shoulders up,
Back,
And down.
Or maybe roll your head and neck.
Take a deep breath and send air into those areas of tension.
Then as you exhale,
Allow your body to release that tension.
Let's do this once more.
Take a deep breath in.
And as you exhale,
Feel your body soften and relax.
Now keeping your eyes closed,
Begin to notice the sounds that you hear,
Whether in your room or outside.
Let's focus briefly on one sound at a time.
Now find a steady sound in the room.
It could be the sound of a fan,
The hum of an appliance,
The ticking of a watch or clock,
Or even your own breath in and out.
Isolate one steady sound.
This will be your one constant sound we will return to for the remainder of our meditation.
Take a slow deep breath in and slowly release it out.
Now intentionally but softly shift your focus to that steady sound you chose.
When your mind wanders and thoughts start to come,
Simply return your focus back to your sound.
If you have an itch or need to readjust yourself,
It's okay.
Do so gently and then settle back in.
Take a deep breath in,
Then out,
And redirect your attention right back to your sound.
This is your point of focus.
It's perfectly natural for your mind to wander.
You don't need to force yourself to focus.
You don't need to make anything happen.
Our intention here is just to be here,
To relax our body,
Relax our mind.
You're doing so well.
Take a deep breath in,
Deep breath out.
Allow yourself to return your attention back to your sound.
Know that there is nothing better that you can be doing for yourself than this.
Each time you remind yourself to gently tune back into your sound,
You're allowing your mind to rest and become steady,
Your thoughts slow and fade.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Take a deep inhale through your nose and exhale it slowly out of your mouth.
Do this again.
Breathe in through your nose and sigh out through your mouth.
Good.
Now keeping your eyes closed even still,
We will close today's practice by clarifying and setting an intention that you will carry with you for the rest of your day.
You have the power to deliberately decide how you want to feel and what you want to experience in any given moment or situation.
Remember that the point of meditation is to help us in our awake state,
In our daily lives and experiences.
How is it you want to feel today?
What experiences can you create in order to feel that way today?
With this final deep breath in,
Seal it,
Lock it in and commit to taking this intention with you outside of your meditation,
Letting it guide you in everything you do today.
Slowly open your eyes.
Take the time to orient yourself to your surroundings.
Feel the energy you've created in your body.
Now to supplement your meditation sitting and help you carry forward your mindful practice into your day,
I would encourage you to take the next few minutes for a simple writing exercise.
You can use the PDF I've provided or use your own personal journal to write down your answers to the following questions.
What intentions did you set for yourself just now?
Is there anything you want to remember from today's sitting?
And finally,
What are five or more things that you are appreciative for in your life?
And it may be as simple as having clean water,
Healthy food,
A place to live.
Any five things that you can bring to mind for yourself today.
Great job friends,
Much encouragement and well wishes as you continue your daily practice.
