Hi,
Welcome.
My name is Anne Lull and this meditation is all about cultivating a focused state of being.
There are many different tools used in meditation to facilitate focus and the one I'll be introducing in this recording is attention on the breath.
Because you are human and because you are alive,
Your mind will likely wander a lot and the goal is not to get rid of this wandering,
That's a common misunderstanding about meditation,
But rather to notice that the mind is somewhere other than on the object of focus and to compassionately return to the breath as if it is the most interesting enticing thing in the world.
Notice then compassionately return.
So find a quiet space in a comfortable seated posture in which your hips are higher than your knees,
Either seated on a chair with your feet planted firmly on the ground or on the floor with some padding underneath your sitting bones.
Allow your eyes to become soft,
Gently gazing toward the ground or closed.
Feel yourself get longer from the hips up and imagine that your spine is neither floppy nor rigid,
But balanced,
Regal and relaxed.
Allow the neck to become an extension of your spine.
Gently lengthen the back of the neck by slightly tucking the chin toward the chest.
Feel the crown of your head lift away from your tailbone.
Soften your jaw,
Forehead,
Eyes,
Shoulder,
Belly.
Notice the outline of your whole body and space.
Bring attention to your belly now.
Without changing your breath at all,
Just notice the natural rise and fall of your breathing and see how little effort you can expend while breathing.
When the mind inevitably goes off into a story of the past or future,
Notice that you have wandered off as soon as you can.
You might even note silently to yourself,
Thinking,
Thinking,
When you see that attention is no longer on the belly and then compassionately return to the technique of watching your effortless breath.
Allow your awareness to move up your body to your chest area.
Again,
See how effortless your breathing can become.
Imagine that any thoughts that pop up into the movie of your mind are just clouds in a beautiful blue sky.
Just like clouds come and go,
Thoughts come and go.
And the sky,
That great big blue sky is always there.
Can you sense the presence of the still sky even in the midst of the moving clouds?
Thoughts and clouds are a natural part of nature.
They're not wrong or bad.
They just exist.
Imagine that your mind is a puppy that gets excited and distracted.
It pulls on the leash you're holding to go and explore the grass nearby,
Just as your mind might get seduced by a thought.
But instead of forcefully tugging on the leash,
Playfully and kindly guide that little puppy back to your side and enjoy the walk together.
Gently bring your awareness back to breathing and relaxing in the chest.
Other cream particular to Bring attention now to the space between your upper lip and nostrils.
Feel the cool air entering your nostrils and the warmer air exit the nostrils.
Notice how you don't need to do anything in order to feel.
Become aware of any subtle movements that occur in this area of your body.
When you sense the effects of your breath beyond the respiratory system.
Feel the cool air entering your nostrils and the warmer air exit the nostrils.
If your breath could smile,
What would it look like?
If your whole body could smile,
What would it feel like?
Notice the breath moving seamlessly through your whole body now.
You might feel the breath in the belly,
The chest,
And under the nostrils simultaneously.
How much can you feel as you breathe and relax?
Gently let go of focusing on your breath.
Gently rest in awareness,
Becoming aware of whatever enters your experience in this unique moment.
Whether that be a fleeting thought,
Any sounds,
Sensations.
Simply watch your experience as if from a third person perspective.
You might even conjure up an image in your mind's eye of yourself.
Sitting here,
Breathing,
Relaxing,
Feeling,
And allowing your experience to be exactly how it is.
Gently Become even more relaxed as you begin to prepare yourself to return.
Notice what has changed.
Allow yourself to open your eyes if they were closed and start to awaken your senses while maintaining this sense of calm,
Focus,
And centeredness.
Thank you so much for practicing with me.
