When imposed,
We hold confidence in the fact that identity is a factor in being.
This exploration of the energies of within,
With a poem by Jane Hirschfield.
Within this tree,
Another tree inhabits the same body.
Within this stone,
Another stone rests,
Its many shades of grey the same,
Its identical surface and weight.
And within my body,
Another body,
Whose history,
Waiting,
Sings,
There is no other body,
It sings,
There is no other world.
So while allowing these words to be absorbed,
Dropping the attention to the lower part of the body,
Allowing it to land in the feet,
Attending to the way the feet are in contact with the floor,
Or whatever surface they may be on,
And paying particular attention to the sensations inside the feet,
The warmth or coolness,
The tingling,
The pulsing,
The pulsing,
And simultaneously acknowledging that the lack of sensations is likewise a perfectly valid experience,
And that it may be even difficult to feel or sense a particular part of the body,
And that this is also okay.
And now if possible expanding the attention to include the calf area above the ankles and below the knees,
And then higher up the thighs and the buttocks,
Turning towards the sensations of heaviness,
Or perhaps it may be lightness of the legs,
The subtleness of being present with the body,
The lower part of the body,
Or the intensity of that experience.
Exploring the attention to drift higher up into the pelvic area,
Exploring its width,
And the way that the sacrum is resting on the ground if you are lying flat,
Or if sitting up,
How the sitting bones are making contact with the cushion or the bench.
And now seeing if it's possible to rest and give and allow the ground to be of support,
To allow the body to be held.
And noticing how from that place of holding and support,
How from the pelvis the spine extends,
And if you are sitting up,
That it extends following its natural curves up towards the ceiling with the head balanced on top.
And how if you are lying down,
How the spine extends along the ground following its natural curves.
Investigating the points of contact the back makes with the ground,
The sensations of heaviness in the sacrum,
And lightness in the lumbar region,
Perhaps even sensing some daylight between the ground and the lower back.
And higher up how the upper back,
The thoracic,
Once again makes contact with the ground.
Observing the balance between how the scapula have landed on the surface you are lying on.
And now expanding your attention to include the entire back in its width and length.
Turning towards any discomforts or even pain that you may be experiencing.
But turning towards it with curiosity and care,
With gentleness,
With warmth,
Rather than the harshness of judgment.
Being in the body and being with the body.
Being the body.
Your body.
Watching this moment as it is.
Sensing the possibility of heaviness in the arms.
Allowing them to agree with gravity.
Landing on the floor,
The elbows making contact with the ground.
Or if sitting upright,
Noticing how and where the arms have landed.
Noticing that there is no ideal placement.
But that it is simply to notice the way they are being held.
Attending to the joints.
The tingling inside the palms and the fingers.
The pulsing of the hands.
The temperature.
Now including in this exploration the sensations of breathing.
Perhaps the possibility of a belly breath or two,
Allowing the abdomen to be soft.
While the back remains strong.
Watching the rhythm of the breath.
The in and outness.
The gentle rising and falling of the shoulders,
Breathing in and out.
How the ribcage inflates and deflates with every breath.
The coolness of the air coming in through the nose of the mouth.
Allowing the jaw to be soft and to hang.
Allowing the eyes to be soft.
The eyes can be soft and closed.
The eyes can be open and soft with a gentle gaze of curiosity.
And so for the area above the eyes,
The eyebrows,
The forehead.
And now coming towards the end of this.
Exploration of the body.
Seeing if it's possible to be with the entire body.
Simultaneously noticing the internal sensations.
The rhythm of the breath.
While gently beginning to open the awareness now to include the immediate environment.
While remaining grounded.
While remaining grounded in the sitting or the sensations of lying down.
Embodying presence,
The presence of within.
Core further down.
You
