Hi and welcome to the Buddha Evening Meditation.
The goal of this meditation is to help you reconnect to the present moment at the end of your day and help you have a serene evening.
Start by sitting symmetrically and upright,
But without it being uncomfortable.
Close your eyes to become aware of your thoughts and physical sensations.
And close your mouth so that you're only breathing through your nose.
Our nostrils filter the air we breathe better than our mouth do,
And therefore allow for slower,
More serene breathing.
Become completely still.
You're entirely motionless,
Except for the air coming in and out of your nostrils.
Observe your breathing.
It occurs naturally and automatically,
Without you having to do anything.
Now observe your current mood,
As if you were inspecting your emotions from the outside looking in,
As if these emotions were separate from your being.
And notice how the air coming in is colder than the air coming out of your nostrils.
If at any point during this meditation you're bothered by incoming thoughts,
It's perfectly normal and it's part of the practice.
When you notice these thoughts,
Simply refocus your attention on the cold air coming in and the warm air coming out.
That is to say,
On the present moment.
Without forcing anything,
And simply by observing the air coming in and out,
Slow down your breathing so that the flow of air gradually becomes thinner.
Imagine that this flow of air brings calm and comfort to your inner body,
As it comes in on the inhale and out on the exhale.
As if this flow of air were a magical substance,
Bringing you joy with every inhale.
As if this flow of air were a balloon of happiness,
Inflating inside you with every inhale.
And progressively,
The flow of air is becoming thinner and thinner.
You're breathing slower and slower.
Buddha once said,
Do not dwell in the past,
Do not dream of the future,
Concentrate the mind on the present moment.
We will now focus on seven affirmations to cultivate serenity and connect to the present moment.
Pay attention to the words containing the affirmations while remaining focused on your breathing.
First affirmation.
By focusing on my breathing,
I rediscover the simple joy of being.
Second affirmation.
I am here now.
Reality is the present moment.
The past and future exist only in my mind.
Third affirmation.
I love who I am.
Fourth affirmation.
I love my body.
Fifth affirmation.
I practice empathy with respect to the challenges faced by others.
Sixth affirmation.
I give my best in every interaction with others.
Seventh affirmation.
I can refocus on my breathing anytime my mind creates resistance to the present moment.
Before we end this meditation,
Once again look at your current mood as it is now.
Look at your current mood as if you were inspecting your emotions from the outside looking in.
And when you're ready,
You can slowly come out of this meditation and start noticing everything around you happening in the present moment,
Such as the surrounding sounds,
The weight of your clothing on your body,
And of course all the colors around you.
I hope this meditation was enjoyable.
Have a wonderful evening.
