Music One of the greatest challenges,
Even in the best of times,
Is developing a sense of patience and equanimity in the face of uncertainty and discomfort.
This is one core premise around the practice of mindfulness.
Life frequently can be uncertain and changing.
Things happen that we don't want or don't happen that we did want.
What we most affect in ourselves is how we relate to that ongoing experience.
Meditation itself directly urges the development of this type of patience.
It's not that we're relaxed every time we sit to meditate.
It's often quite challenging.
Our bodies or our minds feel a sense of discomfort or unrest.
And then for a few minutes we actively practice noting that experience and letting it be.
Instead of our typical actions or thoughts or habits,
We pay attention to whatever might trigger us and choose to let go of the hook instead.
Some other time we might decide on something that's skillful to be done,
But for a few minutes we practice patience with whatever is causing us discomfort in this moment.
Find yourself a comfortable posture to sit in now.
Sitting upright,
Alert,
Bringing to your body,
If you're able,
A sense of strength and comfort.
Dropping your gaze and either shutting your eyes or leaving them partly open.
And begin to notice that with each breath there's a physical movement of your body.
Noticing the rising and falling of your belly or your chest.
Or noticing the air moving in and out of your nose and mouth.
And your mind will most likely stay busy.
And sensations might take over in your body.
The heaviness or charge of certain emotions.
And through all of it,
Note whatever you observe and come back again to the next breath.
Seeing if you can bring a sense of ease and calm to just the next few breaths.
Expanding your awareness now to sensations in your body as a whole.
There might be a sense of discomfort.
A physical sense of restlessness or maybe an itch arises.
Maybe somewhere in your body there's a sense of physical pain.
The practice always allows for taking care of yourself.
If something feels urgent or too painful,
Practicing intention and making an adjustment.
But for the next few moments,
For everything else,
Seeing if it's possible to observe whatever physical sensations are present.
And then just let them be.
Sensations tend to change if we leave them alone.
Or maybe this isn't the time to act on them.
Without pushing yourself or causing yourself extra pain and discomfort through too much effort.
Seeing if it's possible to observe and let go and stay patient with the discomfort in your body in this moment.
Always staying in touch with that sense of care and compassion.
And that needs to be done to take care of yourself,
Allowing that as well.
And then expanding your awareness to thoughts.
Our mind makes thoughts constantly on and off throughout our entire life.
And many of those might feel uncomfortable or anxiety provoking or overwhelming.
And so,
For the next few moments,
Observing our thoughts.
Noting them as thoughts.
Thoughts of the future.
Thoughts of the past,
Rumination.
And noting that discomfort.
And in the same way,
Coming back to that anchor.
One breath at a time.
And then,
As you're in that moment,
You're in that moment of comfort.
And in the same way,
Coming back to that anchor.
One breath at a time.
Noting a thought.
And with the sense of resolve.
Focusing again on the next breath or two.
And next,
If you like.
Either continuing to note thoughts and letting them go,
Or shifting your awareness to emotions.
Emotions are part of our moment-to-moment experience that's not fully under our control.
The art and skill of managing our emotions requires awareness of them.
And yet,
So often,
Emotions feel like triggers.
It's like we're hooked and we must do something about them.
So,
For the next part of the practice,
Seeing if you're able to let go of that hook.
Recognizing your emotional state.
Acknowledging that emotional state,
Whether you feel happy,
Sad,
Overwhelmed,
Anxious,
Angry,
Unsettled.
Maybe bringing to this part of the practice a sense of compassion.
All of us struggle at times.
Simply observing your emotional state.
Noting if it triggers thoughts or an urge to action.
And coming back again to that anchor of one breath after another.
And for the last few minutes of the practice.
Expanding your awareness to take in the entirety of your experience.
With each in-breath,
A sense of open awareness.
This is how things are for me right now.
Taking it all in with a sense of acceptance,
Awareness,
And clarity.
And with each out-breath,
Offering yourself whatever wishes feel most appropriate in this moment.
May I find my strength and resolve.
May I be happy and healthy.
Finding whatever words capture your wishes for yourself most naturally in this moment.
And as the practice ends,
Noticing any tendency for your mind to leap forward into the future.
Any urge to jump off your meditation seat.
Coming back again to that sense of each breath.
And with a sense of intention and resolve,
Choosing when to end your practice and continue on with the rest of your day.
Thank you.
