Hello and welcome to Calm Your Koshes.
My name is Michaela and today we will use awareness to explore awareness itself.
So as you keep exploring the deeper realms of your consciousness in this way,
You will begin to notice the fluid,
Energetic calm of pure consciousness that lies below all thought and cognition.
This is where the real you resides.
This form of meditation will reveal an expansive sense of being.
That's one of the primary benefits of getting to know the real you and connect with your authentic self.
And when that takes place more regularly,
Your presence begins to light up brighter.
You feel calmer and more grounded.
You feel stronger and more confident.
So let's begin by making yourself comfortable.
Maybe sitting in a chair,
Allowing your back to be straight but not stiff with your feet on the ground.
You could also do this practice standing or if you prefer,
You can lie down and have your head supported.
Wherever you arrive,
Just be comfortable and allow your eyes to close or to remain open with a soft gaze.
Take several long,
Slow,
Deep breaths.
Breathing in fully and exhaling slowly.
Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose or mouth.
Feel your stomach expand on the inhale and relax and let go on the exhale.
You begin to let go of noises around you.
You begin to shift your attention from outside to inside yourself.
If you are distracted by sounds in the room,
Simply notice this and bring your focus back to your breathing.
Now slowly bring your attention down to your feet.
Begin observing sensations in your feet.
You might want to wiggle your toes a little,
Feeling your toes against your socks or shoes.
Just notice without judgement.
You might imagine sending your breath down to your feet as if the breath is travelling through the nose,
To the lungs,
Through the abdomen and all the way down to your feet.
And then back up again,
Out through your nose.
Or perhaps you don't feel anything at all.
And that's fine too.
Just allow yourself to feel the sensation of not feeling anything.
And when you are ready,
You begin to feel your feet dissolve in your mind's eye and move your attention up to your ankles,
Calves,
Knees and thighs.
And observe the sensations you are experiencing throughout your legs.
Breathe into and breathe out of the legs.
And if your mind begins to wander,
Just gently notice this and bring your mind back to noticing the sensations in your legs.
If you notice any discomfort,
Pain or stiffness,
Don't judge this,
Just simply notice it.
And observe how all sensations rise and fall,
Shift and change,
Moment to moment.
Notice how no sensation is permanent.
Just observe and allow the sensations to be in the moment,
Just as they are.
Moving into and out of the legs.
Now,
The next out breath,
Allow the legs to dissolve in your mind and move to the sensations in your lower back and pelvis,
Softening and releasing as you breathe in and out.
Simply move your attention up to your mid back and upper back.
Become curious about the sensations here.
You may become aware of the sensations in the muscle,
Temperature or points of contact with furniture or the floor or bed.
And with each out breath,
You may let go of the tension you are carrying.
And then very gently shift your focus to your stomach and all the internal organs here.
Notice you notice the feeling of clothing,
The process of digestion,
The belly rising or falling with each breath.
If you notice opinions arising about these areas,
Gently let go and return to noticing sensations.
And now feeling As you continue to breathe,
Bring your awareness to the chest and heart region.
Just notice your heartbeat.
Remember how the chest rises during the inhale and how the chest falls during the exhale.
Let go of any judgements that may arise.
And then shift the focus to your hands and fingertips.
See if you can channel your breathing into and out of this area.
As if you are breathing into and out from your hands.
And taking your awareness up into your arms.
Observe the sensations or lack of sensations that may be occurring there.
You might notice some differences between the left and right arm.
No need to judge this.
And as you exhale,
You may experience the arms soften and release tension.
Continue to breathe and shift focus to the neck,
Shoulder and throat region.
This is an area where we often have tension.
Be with the sensations here.
It could be tightness,
Rigidity or holding.
You may notice the shoulders moving along with the breath.
Let go of any thoughts or stories you are telling about this area.
And as you breathe,
You may feel the tension rolling off your shoulders.
On the next outbreath,
Shift your focus and direct your attention to the scalp,
Head and face.
Notice the movement of the air as you breathe into or out of the nostrils or mouth.
As you exhale,
You might notice the softening of any tension you may be holding.
And now let your attention expand out to include the entire body as a whole.
Bring into your awareness the top of your head down to the bottom of your toes.
And feel the gentle rhythm of the breath as it moves through the body.
And now become aware of what is going on in your mind in this moment.
Observe the thoughts as if they were soft clouds floating across the sky of your mind.
Don't pull the thoughts down to engage them.
Simply allow them to pass by.
Notice any deeper feelings or emotions that arise.
You are not trying to change any of this.
Simply observe and hold it in your awareness.
Acknowledge that you are not your thoughts or feelings.
You are something deeper than that.
It is St Provo.
Now turn your attention to awareness itself.
Become aware of your own awareness.
The knowingness that lets you perceive all of this.
And inner spaciousness that holds together all the sensations,
Feelings and thoughts that make up your experience in this moment.
Focus your attention on your own awareness.
Experience the awareness with your awareness and notice how calming and peaceful it is.
And now gently sit your mind in this place of nourishing stillness.
Let yourself be that stillness.
Let yourself be that stillness.
Now gently notice your breathing.
Cool air coming in through your nostrils.
Warm air going out.
Staying in and breathing out.
And slowly take your time and come back to an awake state.
And maybe you would like to pull out your notepad and write a couple of sentences of your experience.
Maybe you would like to stay in this position and continue to embrace the awareness and the nourishing stillness.
Namaste.
