Hello,
And welcome.
This is Jonathan.
Thank you for joining me today for this meditation on the observation of awareness.
I'd like to invite you to go ahead and find a comfortable sitting position.
You could also stand for this,
Or lie down.
Just choose whatever is best for you today.
Let's get started.
Begin by taking a deep,
Intentional breath in through the nose,
And slowly exhale through the nose.
Letting go of any tension or tightness in the muscles,
And relaxing the body,
And take one more deep breath,
Filling the belly and the chest,
And exhaling completely,
Emptying the lungs,
And gently closing the eyes.
Now allow your breathing to return to normal,
To a relaxed,
Comfortable,
And effortless rhythm.
And bring your attention to the feeling of your body.
Notice where your body makes contact with the floor,
With the cushion,
Or the chair,
And feel the weight of the body.
Feel the support beneath you,
And just acknowledge this simple experience of being supported.
Now scan the body from your feet upward,
To the top of your head,
Searching again for areas of tension or tightness,
And relaxing those areas.
Allow the body to be fully relaxed.
And as you sit,
Or stand,
Or lie,
In this steady,
Relaxed body,
Become aware that the body is breathing,
And gently place your attention on the sensations of breath,
Wherever you feel them the most.
At the belly,
In the upper torso,
Or at the tip of the nose.
And keep your focus anchored here for a few minutes.
Stay with the breath.
If thoughts intrude,
Become aware that thinking is happening,
And without judgment,
And without reaction,
Simply let the thought go.
And gently return your attention to the breath.
We do this with thoughts,
Emotions,
Sounds,
Smells,
Tastes,
Visions,
And physical sensations.
Do not try to push any distraction away,
Nor try to cling to it.
Do not judge it.
Just allow these things to arise into your awareness,
And pass through your awareness,
As you maintain your focus and attention on the breath.
And now I'll leave you alone for two minutes of silence,
So that you may practice.
Now,
Mentally step back from your breath,
And simply observe whatever comes into your awareness.
Allow your anchor to change,
As your mind becomes aware of internal and external stimulation.
Thoughts,
Feelings,
Sounds.
When a new object comes into your awareness,
Allow your attention to rest on it,
Until something else pulls you away,
And this becomes your new anchor.
This process may be fast,
Or slow,
Consistent,
Or inconsistent.
Just quietly observe what happens in the mind,
In your awareness,
And in your attention.
Do not judge your experience,
And do not try to change your experience.
Just let it all arise and pass,
As you silently witness the flow of change and impermanence.
And do this for two minutes.
Now,
Bring your attention back to the breath.
Feel the breath rise,
Feel it fall,
Notice the pauses between the breaths,
And stay with your breath for a few moments,
And relax into it.
And as we close,
Bring your attention now back to the body.
Feel the weight of it,
Feel the sensations of gravity,
And bring a little movement to your body,
By moving your toes and feet,
Your fingers and hands,
Your shoulders and neck.
And when you're ready,
Take a few deep breaths,
And as you exhale,
Gently open your eyes.
Thank you.
