In order to make a place in our lives for the regular practice of meditation,
We can decide to set aside some time each day for ourselves.
A time when we can comfortably still the body,
Setting aside activities and constant doing.
Allowing ourselves to do non-doing,
To simply be.
Being with whatever arises in our bodies and our minds and learning in this stillness to simply observe without judgment the sense of patience,
Kindness and steadiness.
Learning that we can take time to be with ourselves in this way.
Not having to change anything or make anything different.
Allowing ourselves to be exactly as we are.
Simply experiencing our life just as it is in its totality.
So now allowing the body to become still and sitting in a straight back chair or perhaps on a cushion on the floor.
The back is straight without being stiff.
The posture is relaxed,
Awake and dignified.
Settling into this moment.
Feeling the support of the floor or the chair or the cushion and settling into this stable seat.
Now just becoming aware of the fact that you are breathing and becoming aware of the movement of the breath.
Feeling the breath as it comes into the body and as it leaves the body.
Being aware of the breath flowing in and flowing out.
Not manipulating the breath in any way.
Just simply being aware of it and noticing how it feels.
Allowing yourself to be with this flow of breath coming in and going out.
You may notice the breath at the nostrils.
Perhaps just sensing a tiny change in temperature from the in-breath to the out-breath.
You may notice the feeling of the breath at the chest as the lungs fill with breath on the in-breath and deflate as you breathe out.
Perhaps feeling the breath at the belly.
Sensing the belly rising and expanding on your breath and returning to center as you breathe out.
Allowing your attention to gently ride on the sensation of each breath.
Not thinking about breathing but feeling it directly the best you can.
Allowing the breath to breathe in.
Not needing to change it in any way.
Giving full care and attention to each breath.
Observing the full cycle of the breath.
Rotating the very beginning of the breath and following it as it enters the body.
Feeling the lungs and expanding the chest and the abdomen and then coming to a tiny moment of stillness before it turns around and makes its journey out of the body.
Just seeing if you can be there for this entire cycle of breathing.
Letting your attention rest lightly on the feeling of the breath.
And you may notice that from time to time the mind will wander off to thoughts.
Perhaps thoughts of the past,
Fantasies,
Memories,
Regrets.
Or it may move to anticipation of the future.
Planning or wishing,
Judging.
As soon as you become aware that the attention has moved off the breath just guide it back to the next breath with a gentle firmness.
There is no need to give yourself a hard time.
Simply just come back to this breath.
Is it an in-breath or is it an out-breath?
Observing,
Moving up close to your breathing.
Once again aligning the attention with this breath in this moment.
Breathing in with the in-breath.
Breathing out with the out-breath.
Just one breath following the next.
Feeling the movement in your body.
The breath anchoring the attention in this moment.
Knowing that you can always use the awareness of your breath to refocus your attention.
To return to the present whenever you notice you have drifted.
When you have become distracted,
Restless or preoccupied.
The attention on the breath can be a powerful anchor to this present moment and to the state of awakeness and stillness.
You may find that as you observe the breath that sensations in the body come into your field of awareness.
Perhaps discomfort or restlessness.
These feelings may be more focused and intense from time to time.
If you choose you can broaden your field of attention now from feeling the breath to include feeling the entire body.
Perhaps just beginning to explore all sensations.
Aware of sensations from the top of your head to your toes and fingertips.
Aware of the wholeness and completeness of the body.
Feeling the body making contact with the chair or the floor.
Noticing the touch of the hands and the feet.
Aware of the body sitting.
Just beginning to settle into the experience of physical sensations in the body.
Sensing the body complete,
Present,
Dignified and being present to whatever sensations emerge.
Sensations arising,
Perhaps lingering,
Changing in intensity and passing away.
Aware of the flow of the breath.
Being here with whatever feelings present themselves.
Simply being here as you are in this moment.
You you you At times,
Strong sensations may dominate the attention,
Making it more difficult for you to focus.
If feelings of discomfort or irritation emerge,
You can either slowly adjust your posture to alleviate discomfort,
Paying attention to the desire to move and moving mindfully,
Or you can choose to investigate the sensation,
Noticing the exact shape of the sensation,
The qualities of the feeling.
Is it pulling or throbbing,
Pushing,
Pulsating or burning?
And just seeing if you can directly breathe into and out of that part of the body,
Going right into it,
Not trying to change it,
But opening to it with gentleness and kindness and patience,
Softening to the sensation rather than tensing around it,
And also noticing any reactions to the sensations.
And as these feelings subside,
Returning the attention again to the whole body,
Sitting,
Breathing,
Breath moving in and out of the body.
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