So let's just begin by arranging our sitting position,
Getting comfortable,
Thinking about our intention for this practice.
Perhaps something like,
With nothing more to do than practice mindfulness,
Being quiet,
Noticing that we don't have to do very much at all in order to do this meditation,
Or to be with this meditation,
And to be with ourselves.
So beginning to focus on our breath to start with,
Keeping things soft,
Easy,
Relaxed if we can,
Noticing the in-breath as it moves through the nose and down into the chest,
And then noticing how the chest falls as we breathe out,
And beginning to establish a rhythmic slow breathing,
Enabling a little bit of focus from our mind,
But also a little rhythm to help us focus in this moment.
Our minds may be busy,
Our bodies may be uncomfortable or restless,
And there's no need to be fighting any of this.
The reason why we're here today,
Sitting in this practice,
Is to enable an attitude of acceptance for whatever's going on.
So we don't need to be pushing thoughts away,
Or trying too hard to quieten or settle the mind.
We can become a little more relaxed with our breathing.
We could move our attention and awareness to other parts of the body,
Perhaps allowing the mind to just go to the different places in the body on its own,
With a little bit of free will.
You may be noticing your hands,
You may be noticing feet on the floor,
But wherever we are focusing our attention on right now,
Let's just rest there,
Breathing at the same time,
And with a relaxed attitude,
Acknowledge that the mind will wander,
And it is not our job to have a heavy hand,
And to drag our mind back to a present moment experience of breathing,
Or focusing on a different part of the body.
Our job here is to be much more accepting,
And understanding that the mind will wander.
And so when it does do this,
To return gently,
Without effort,
Taking time to come back to present moment experience of your choice,
That you prefer.
And again,
That might be breathing,
It may be focusing on a particular point in the body,
And for some people,
It may be resting on the sounds around,
In our room,
Or in the wider environment.
We can just rest and listen to whatever is going on now,
In this moment.
And so essentially,
We are here to practice mindfulness meditation with a view of understanding and appreciating how our own minds are operating,
Or wandering,
And how our minds can get lost and occupied with various different thoughts about the past,
Or the future.
And again,
Just simply returning every time to a present moment experience of your own choice.
No need to be serious.
And each time we come back to the present moment,
It may be a different experience.
So moving from experiencing our breathing,
To just changing,
Directing our focus onto our hands,
Resting on the body,
Or the body sat here on a cushion,
Or a chair,
Or maybe even lying down.
Paying attention to whatever it is that we're doing.
Cultivating an attitude of curiosity,
About where our mind wanders to,
Or even how and what our mind is interested in,
As it takes us away from the present moment.
We can smile at this never-ending cycle of distraction,
Of recognition that we have been distracted by something.
And taking the time to return to this present moment,
Perhaps with a sense of kindness,
A sense of patience.
Learning that we can give everything up in this moment of meditation.
That we don't need to be working hard,
Or trying to perfect anything.
Fundamentally,
The mind will always wander at some point.
And that is not our failing.
That is just the way it is.
However,
There is a certain degree of training,
Of paying attention to this present moment that is in our interest when we want to be more relaxed,
More in tune with ourselves and the environment around us.
Teaching the mind that we can find peace.
That we can discover a new way to relate to ourselves and to the moments that surround us.
So let's just take a quiet minute,
With no voice,
With nothing to do.
And I wonder if we can just open up to what's happening right now,
With sensations in the body that may arise,
With thoughts that may come and go,
And with sounds around,
Just happening.
