This is a focus or an object meditation.
My name is Leigh Anderson.
Welcome.
I'm so grateful to guide you through this object focus meditation.
This practice is designed to help strengthen your ability to concentrate by gently holding your attention on a single object.
Today,
We're using a maple leaf,
Though you're welcome to choose a different object or visualize one that feels meaningful to you.
The intention is simple,
Focus,
Soften,
Return.
When the mind wanders,
Which it will,
We gently bring it back to the breath and the object with curiosity and kindness.
This type of meditation is wonderful for beginners.
It offers something tangible to focus on,
Something we can see,
Feel,
Or even hear alongside our breath.
It helps us stay present and begin to train the mind with compassion.
So if you have a maple leaf,
Get it ready now,
Otherwise any object will do.
So let's begin by finding a comfortable position and you might be sitting on a chair or a cushion on the floor.
So make any final wriggles or movements now so you can remain relatively still throughout the session.
Of course,
If discomfort arises at any point,
Feel free to adjust.
Always be gentle and kind to yourself.
As you settle in,
Notice your sitting bones pressing into your seat.
Let your spine rise naturally to support your head and let your shoulders soften and the back of your neck relax.
Rest your hands in your lap or on your knees.
So if you've chosen a maple leaf,
Keep it nearby,
Perhaps gently resting in one of your hands.
When you're ready,
Gently close your eyes and begin to tune into your breath.
So we're already breathing,
We're just simply paying attention to it now.
Breathing in through your nose and out through your nose.
Unless you need to use your mouth,
Which is perfectly fine.
You might notice the chest lifting,
The belly softening,
Or the air brushing past the tip of your nose.
Allow your breath to become slow and steady without needing to control it,
Just observe.
We'll just take a few mindful breaths here.
Now when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes and allow your gaze to fall softly on your maple leaf.
It may be resting in your hands or held gently in front of your face,
Whatever feels most natural and easy for your gaze.
If at any time your eyes become tired,
You're welcome to close them again and return your focus to your breath or to a mental image of your leaf.
Remember this is your practice,
There's no right or wrong way to experience it.
If your mind begins to wander,
Just return,
Gently,
Curiously,
Without judgement.
And as you breathe,
Allow yourself to simply observe the leaf.
What colour do you notice first?
What is the shape of the leaf?
The texture of its surface?
Are the edges smooth or jagged?
Are there visible lines or veins running through it?
Does the light reflect off the surface or cast a shadow?
We are observing with presence,
Seeing the leaf as it is,
Right now.
Not as it was.
Not what it might be,
But how it is in this very moment.
And naturally distractions will arise.
Thoughts,
Emotions,
Body sensations,
Even memories or plans.
This is normal.
Simply notice the distraction and gently return to your breath and to your object.
So if a distraction arises,
You might even name it.
That's a thought about dinner.
Or,
That's excitement.
Or,
That's my mind planning for the weekend.
Then let it go,
Without clinging or judging,
And come back to your breath and the leaf.
The simple act of returning,
Again and again,
Is the heart of the practice.
You might imagine now that your leaf is very delicate,
Even precious.
If we grasp it too tightly,
It may crumble.
If we ignore it,
It might drift away.
But when we cradle it with care,
We honour its presence,
Just as we do with the breath.
This is how we meet the moment.
Not too tense,
Not too loose.
Just gently aware and open.
And we can apply this to our breath too.
Not controlling.
Not ignoring.
Just meeting it.
One breath at a time.
As we move towards the ends of this meditation,
Take a moment to feel the quiet joy of simply being here.
With your breath,
Your focus and your attention.
This act of caring for your leaf,
Or your chosen object,
Is also a way of caring for yourself.
You've practised concentration.
You've practised coming back.
And you've practised presence.
And now gently allow your gaze to soften.
And if it feels right,
You may close your eyes for a final moment of stillness.
Perhaps bring to mind how you might carry this focus into your day.
At work,
At home,
With loved ones,
Or even in those quiet little in-between moments.
Let's take a few more natural breaths here.
If it feels good,
You might begin to move your fingers or toes or stretch in a way that feels supportive.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Thank you.
I'm so grateful to have been your guide in this meditation.
And may you carry this sense of focus and curiosity with you wherever you go.
Many blessings.
