Let the bell just be an invitation,
An invitation for your awareness to descend into your body,
And to simply rest your awareness in the solidity of your body,
Just like silt coming to rest at the bottom of a lake,
Allowing your awareness to just rest in the solidity of your body.
All the areas of contact feel very solid,
Where you come in contact with a chair,
A cushion,
The floor,
Maybe your hands and your lap,
All those little areas of contact.
Let your awareness just settle there,
Just rest,
Take a little time to ground.
Now let's take just a little time to do a short body scan,
To relax and release any tension we may have in our bodies and to help us start directing our attention wherever we choose.
So beginning with the crown of your head,
See if you can be aware of an area about the size of a quarter,
Right there at the top.
You need to be aware of those sensations.
And from here let's just scan down throughout our whole body,
Right down to the soles of our feet as we do so.
Just relax and release any tension that we find along the way.
Let your awareness scan from the crown of your head down to your chin,
Relaxing any tension in your forehead,
Relaxing your jaw.
Scan down into your neck and shoulders,
Relaxing and releasing any tension there.
Let your awareness flow down from your left shoulder,
Right down through your left arm to your fingertips,
And from your right shoulder down your right arm to your fingertips.
Bringing your awareness into your upper torso,
Once again relax your shoulders.
Let this soothing balm of awareness scan from your shoulders down to your waist,
Always relaxing and releasing any tension you might find along the way.
And from your waist scan down your left leg to your toes,
And from your waist down your right leg to your toes.
And once again let your awareness just expand throughout your whole body,
Just resting there for a moment.
And as we prepare to focus our attention on our object of meditation,
I invite you to take a moment to remember why you meditate.
So important to be clear about why we do what we do,
So we can make healthy choices,
Be aware of our motivations.
Why would you choose to meditate?
How is this helpful for you?
This particular practice of shamatha is the antidote to an obsessive compulsive busy mind.
The key that unlocks the door to being present and mindful in your own life,
To no longer be a prisoner of every thought,
Worry,
Impulse or desire that arises.
For me personally,
It's allowed me to be a better father,
Better spouse,
Better human being,
To bring more intention into my activities,
A lot more freedom in my choices.
I invite you to take a moment to be clear about how meditating can be helpful for you and why you would choose to make it a practice.
And when you're ready,
I invite you to focus your attention on the breath.
Let the breath be the object of your meditation,
The anchor for your attention.
Allow the breath to be natural,
Unmodified,
No need to interfere with it,
Just let your body breathe and do your best to focus your attention on the sensations of the breath as it enters and exits your body.
Each breath a new moment and a new opportunity to be present.
Let the breath be the anchor for your attention.
Let the breath be the anchor for your attention.
And remember if your mind wanders,
No problems,
That's why we meditate.
Just relax,
Release the thoughts and return to the breath.
That's the practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Let's practice.
Having developed our attention with our practice,
Let's now focus the last part of our meditation,
Preparing for this precious day that awaits us.
I invite you to remember that you have a life of recovery,
That it's filled with support and opportunities,
And that today is a new opportunity and a fresh start that you get to take advantage of.
As you prepare to engage in this day,
Remember that you are not the center of the universe,
But you are a valuable part of it.
The events that happen today,
Whether you label them good or bad,
Are all opportunities to grow,
Learn,
And make your life more meaningful.
I invite you to take just a little time to bring to mind some people,
Events,
Or things that you're grateful for,
Not a long list,
Just a couple.
Make them relevant and personal.
Let's cultivate our gratitude.
Now take some time to reflect on the person you want to be,
What are the qualities and values that you want to bring into this day?
Set your intention.
It's not waste this day to live it with attention and intention cultivating the qualities that you find meaningful.
Remember the only thing that separates the person you are from the person you want to be is the action you take.
Make a firm commitment to your recovery today.
