Settling,
Grounding,
Resting with sound support.
Bringing to mind our motivation to practicing mindfulness and bringing to mind what's important to us right now.
And then remembering our intention.
Perhaps a willingness to allow the mind to rest,
To give ourselves a break of the constant engagement of a busy mind.
And so taking a posture that is upright yet relaxed.
A posture that honors this practice and your willingness to learn.
So just being curious and aware.
And we can begin to take a moment to settle our minds.
Allowing our breathing to deepen.
Counting three or four on the in-breath and three or four on the out-breath.
Knowing the arising and passing of thought.
And if we get caught up in thinking,
Gently guiding our attention back to the breathing and counting.
And then just letting go of the counting.
Allowing our breathing to settle into a natural breathing pattern.
Our attention now just on the out-breath.
And seeing or noticing any tendency for the body to relax with each out-breath.
And then beginning to become aware of maybe the variety of body sensations within the body,
Whatever they are.
Noticing how the body is supported by the ground beneath us.
Feeling the heaviness of the body.
Also feeling how the spine rises up to the crown of the head.
So we are upright and alert.
Just resting in our posture,
Supported unconditionally by the chair or the ground beneath us.
And becoming aware of the space around the body.
And we can let go of any sense of having to do anything at all.
No instructions to follow.
Just being in the moment.
Nothing to do.
Nowhere to go.
Nothing to fix.
Just opening to a sense of space.
Just feeling the simplicity of this embodied presence.
And when we begin to notice thoughts arise,
Again just gradually introducing the support of sound.
And so coming from the body and resting within the body,
We are opening out our awareness to receive sound.
So whatever sound arises is the object of our meditation.
Not seeking out any particular sound,
Just open,
Aware of the entire soundscape around.
Each sound arising and passing.
Just seeing if it is possible not to think about ourselves or stories about sound.
Just being aware of sound.
As a sensory experience and nothing more.
And becoming aware of distant sounds.
And then sounds that are close or even inside our bodies.
If we wander off into thinking,
Just gradually guiding our attention back to the arising presence of sound.
And again just noticing if there are preferences to different sounds and allowing every sound to be part of the changing picture.
And if we find ourselves thinking again,
Just returning to rest with the sound.
Is it possible to rest within a gently listening body?
And as we draw this practice to a close,
Maybe just taking an opportunity to appreciate being able to practice mindfulness and the intention to take this sense of mindfulness through our day and to share the benefit with others.
