Open Awareness Practice For Enhanced Clarity And Presence

Release tension with several deep, soothing breaths, then enhance mental clarity with an expansive open awareness meditation. Enjoy expanding silence as the meditation continues--increasing relaxed awareness of body, breath, and space.

Transcript

Hello and welcome.

My name is Larissa Hall Carlson.

Today's practice weaves purifying breathwork and open awareness meditation to begin your day with a clear head.

To begin,

Find a comfortable steady seat and lengthen the spine,

Taking a position of poise and alertness.

Soften or close the eyes.

Inhale deeply and exhale with a sigh.

Let's do that again gently releasing tension and tightness.

To wake the body through the breath,

Bring the attention down to the belly and begin to deepen the breath there.

Each inhalation allow the belly to soften and expand.

On each exhalation,

Gently pull the belly button back towards the spine,

Deflating the belly and clearing out the stale air.

Continue this deep belly breathing at your own pace,

Inviting more air into the lungs,

More invigorating life force energy into the channels.

Massaging the belly,

Helping to stimulate and aid digestion,

Loosening up tension and tightness,

Bringing more aliveness to the abdomen.

If you'd like a bit more stimulation,

The next time you inhale,

Take a deep breath down towards the belly and then allow that inhalation to gently rise up into the chest,

Filling and expanding the upper lungs.

Then exhale fully,

Gently squeezing empty.

Continue at a steady and livening rhythm.

Never force,

Never strain,

But always invite more openness into the lungs,

More energy into the body,

More clarity into the mind.

After the next exhalation,

Release all control of the breath and return to a natural breath.

Notice the effects of those deep and livening breaths.

Take a moment to feel the whole body.

Feel for the whole body sitting down.

Is it possible to invite awareness to expand and sense the entire body at once?

The entire body sitting still.

Sensing stimulation,

Vibration,

Pulsation,

Movement of light throughout the entire body.

Rest the awareness now on the surface of your skin,

The largest organ of the body.

Feeling the sensation,

The temperature,

The texture of the clothing fabric against your skin.

Scan and feel for the sensations of the air against the skin,

The temperature of the air in the room,

The moisture of the air against the skin.

Is it possible to sense the skin breathing?

Where does the skin's barrier end and the surrounding space begin?

.

Invite awareness to float to sensations of breathing.

Feel for the whole body being breathed.

Notice your lungs expand and contract.

Sense your skin expanding and contracting.

Is there a difference between the air in the lungs and the outside air?

Where does one end and the other begin?

Allow awareness now to scan the space above your head,

Noticing any sounds or subtle vibrations in the space above you.

Invite awareness now to scan the space below you,

Noticing where your body touches down.

Sensing the pulsing aliveness of the earth and space below you.

Maintaining your steady,

Relaxed seat.

Shift awareness to the space in front of you,

As far out as your senses can reach.

Expand your awareness now to the space behind you,

The space behind you in the room,

Perhaps the space beyond the back wall of the room.

Maybe even sensing light from the most distant star.

Now,

Let awareness comfortably expand in all directions within and around you,

Simply observing the moment as it is.

If the mind wanders,

Gently guide it back to the breath as it expands and contracts.

And expand your awareness in all directions around you from that point.

Gently begin to deepen the breath again at the belly,

Releasing the spacious meditative awareness,

Grounding down more deeply into the here and now.

As you pause and breathe and relax,

Notice if anything has shifted.

Perhaps more clarity,

Lightness,

Or ease.

With this enhanced awareness,

Gradually invite the eyes to flutter open,

Wishing you spacious presence for the day ahead.

Reviews

Amazing meditation. Is it common for one to tear up during the later portions of the awareness meditation?

My favourite so far. A perfect balance between guiding and silence. It wasn't the easiest as I found focusing on the space around me with my eyes closed challenging but also amazingly calming. I feel so centred, focused and relaxed following this morning practice. Thank you. Namaste.

Wonderful. Namaste 🦋 🙏🏽 calming expansive meditation. Perfect pace and space.

What a lovely practice. Thank you for the gentle perfectly paced guidance and calming voice🙏

I loved this medi. I prefer open awareness style of meditation vs. focused attention. It gives me more freedom in my practice to explore my senses. ❤️❤️❤️ thank you!

Dang, Larrisa! I seldom give a perfect 10. Voice, sound recording quality, volume levels, tone - wait - there’s more.

The path of exploration, using senses, especially the skin, is fantastic. And you only used one my trigger words, “boundary.” (😳😎🙏 . . . I substituted the word, “margin.” How about shoreline? Edge? Surface? Ha . . . Am I triggering any readers of this review? 🤪

I’m kind a believer in my own personal definition of senses (my 6th sense being the emotional network throughout my beautiful body.

Two final notes: I love breath-work (Ist used it to improve my swimming & running). I’m learning to use it now to match the present moment of awareness, or to bring my whole being towards harmony. You led this well. Thank you.

The length was perfect for idealizing, undiagnosed ADD, emotional lover of learning (relationally & cognitively).

I highly recommend this waking (literally too) exercise (Be aware, I’m a newbie at meditation- 1982 for 6 months, and 03/09/2018 to present).

If you read this entire review, you may need to conserve more in some area of your life 😬 - mine is “words.”

NamBeNiceDay 😎🙏🎈🎈

I love this meditation. The quiet guidance is amazing. Thank you!

Beautiful, the indications to follow it, are so clear even in English! Thank youuuuu

That was lovely Larissa. Thank you for sharing that space ✨🌱

Wonderful awareness practice. Feel light,calm and aware. Thank you.

🙏✨💕 thank you for this deep practice. Very lovely and expansive 🤗

clear voice, very helpful meditation

Thank you Larissa. You introduced me to elements that I had not known before 🙏🏻

Very gentle and beautiful morning meditation. Thank you!

It was great. Thank you! 🌸🙏🏽😊

Amazing! So refreshing! ❤️ Thank u 🙂

Beautiful. I open my eyes and find myself drifting in stillness and pure bliss. I feel feather light and my body is singing to me. THANK YOU ❣️🙏

Reviving and centering. Beautiful. Thank you! 🙏🏼💜✨

One of the best guided meditations I've done in quite some time. Thank you!

It took me to where I needed to be. 🙏