Hello beautiful ones.
Welcome to this guided meditation to help you to practice sitting and meditating.
Mindfulness meditation is simple but not easy.
So we want to shift from a doing mode to a being mode right now.
So go ahead and get yourself into a comfortable position with your head,
Neck,
And spine straight.
A position that allows you to be relaxed yet alert.
And it feels good right to do so go ahead and close down your eyes.
And if that doesn't feel good go ahead and just soft focus someplace across from you or down below your nose.
And as you're sitting here just noticing the sensations of your breath.
Noticing where you can find your breath in your body.
Noticing how your belly moves on the in-breath and the out-breath.
The movement of the air in and out of your nostrils.
Perhaps feeling the gentle pressure on your sides or your shoulders.
And just bringing awareness now to your breath.
And if you notice that your mind wanders that's okay.
That's what minds do.
Just notice where it went and gently bring it back to your breath.
Wherever in the breath cycle you are.
Wherever it's the easiest for you to connect.
Notice the entire cycle of your breath.
The air coming in.
The little pause at the top.
And the air going out.
And noticing the air coming in.
The little pause at the top.
And the air going out.
All one movement.
This cycle of breath.
Again and again.
Noticing if you can become aware of the whole cycle of your breath and just being curious about what it's like to breathe.
And remembering not to be critical or judgmental if your mind drifts away.
It's perfectly okay.
Just notice where it went and bring it back to the actual sensations of your breathing.
You may notice some feelings in your body that may take your mind away.
And that's okay.
Whatever it is that's distracting your mind.
Just notice what's happening and bring it back to your breath.
You might also notice that as you're breathing there's a tendency to want to control the breath.
To want to change it in some way.
To make it be how it's supposed to be or you expect it to be.
But just letting the quality of breath flow in and out easily and comfortably.
Noticing how the breath is kind of like the waves in the ocean.
The up and the down.
And so it's really about noticing.
Mindfulness is bringing that awareness purposefully to this moment.
This moment we're focusing on the breath.
Coming back again and again to the sensations of breathing.
And as you're sitting,
You may notice some sounds.
The sounds that come from my voice and from the music.
Perhaps there are ambient sounds in your environment.
And when you notice these sounds,
Just noticing that your attention has shifted.
Shifted to the perception of the sound.
Noticing perhaps the quality of the sound,
Its vibration,
Its tone.
Being aware of the mind's tendency to want to label the sound and figure it out.
Oh,
That's traffic.
Oh,
That's music.
Oh,
That's a voice.
But just see if you can let the sound just wash over you without labeling it or judging it in any way.
And then gently bringing your awareness back to your breath.
Letting your breath be your anchor.
The thing that you return to whenever your mind has you distracted with something else.
Gently without judgment.
Just coming back to your breath.
The in and the out.
And when your attention has gone somewhere else and you're noticing that.
Noticing that your mind wants to have an opinion about everything.
It wants to like things or not like things or evaluate.
Finding things comfortable or not comfortable.
So just noticing.
Making a note of oh,
That's my mind.
Just noticing.
It's being critical and evaluating.
And that's okay.
That's what minds do.
And I don't have to do anything about it right now.
I can just gently let that go and come back to the breath.
Noticing when I'm breathing in that I'm breathing in.
And when I'm breathing out,
I'm breathing out.
Noticing the cycle of the breath.
One after the other.
You might begin to notice now some sensations in your body after sitting for so long.
Maybe there's achiness or discomfort or tension.
Perhaps you have the urge to shift a little bit.
But however,
Become aware of the sensation first.
Noticing where it might be.
And when you've got that awareness,
Developing a mindful intention to shift and move.
So that you're not just reacting,
But mindfully moving.
But another way to deal with the bodily sensations when you're sitting to meditate is to just notice the sensation.
Being curious about it without actually doing anything to change it.
Noticing what it is and including it as a part of your overall experience.
It is pure sensation.
Not good or bad.
Just noticing.
Freeing yourself from the desire to react to it.
But knowing if your attention keeps getting called back to it,
You have the choice of mindfully shifting to change the sensation or allowing the sensation and accepting it as it is.
So wherever your mind goes,
Whether it's to thoughts or sounds or sensations,
Just bring awareness to where it went and gently coming back once again to the breath.
Bringing some gentle curiosity to the fact that no two breaths are the same.
And as you bring awareness to the cycle of the breath,
You notice how the breath nourishes you and is effortless if you allow it to be.
And noticing that if that attention wanders away,
Noticing how you can find that attention again and bring it back gently and in a friendly manner,
Much like you would a little puppy or a small child that has wandered away.
And so really,
That's what mindfulness meditation is.
Noticing,
Being aware,
Being mindful of when you've gone away and mindful of when you've come back and you're here.
Noticing now the vividness and the aliveness in this present moment as you sit,
Welcoming in all of the experiences and each time returning to your breath.
And as we come to the end of this meditation,
Knowing that you've done good work today in being able to become more aware and more curious and more mindful.
And now if you've had your eyes closed,
Go ahead and gently blink them open,
Moving around in your body a little bit.
Perhaps giving a little stretch in whatever way feels good.
Thank you for joining me today for this sitting mindfulness meditation.
I'm Kelly Dennis.
Be well and have a wonderful day.
Namaste
