One of the effects of our fast-paced culture,
Which leaves many people on edge,
Impatient,
And dissatisfied throughout the day,
Is that we feel a loss of a sense of spaciousness and ease.
Spaciousness and ease were normal for our ancestors,
Who didn't live with the continual distractions of media,
Cell phones,
And connection through screens.
Though there are certain advantages to these technologies,
The very human need to feel safe and free in space.
In the space that surrounds us has become contracted.
People have become constricted and more fearful as a result.
Many have lost touch with this larger sense of themselves.
Today we'll open that portal to greater space.
We're going to focus on what it is to feel spacious,
To be spacious,
And reclaim that sense of expansion.
To begin,
Stand for a moment.
For a minute or two,
Gently shake your body,
Letting go of any current disturbances from head to toe.
Just let anything go you don't need to carry within you.
As you move,
Let out some sound using the vowel ah.
Ah.
Just shake,
Shake.
Ah.
Good.
Did that free some constriction?
Get a sense of whether you are holding on in a way that you don't need to.
Now,
Sit comfortably,
Either in lotus position or in a chair with your feet solidly on the floor.
Your hands can be placed lightly on your lap,
Palms upward.
If you'd like,
You can also put your thumbs and forefingers together in mudra position.
If sitting,
Try to have some space between your spine and the back of the chair.
Close your eyes.
Next,
We'll take three long,
Deep breaths through the nose.
As we do,
We'll hold each full breath for a moment,
Then release through the mouth fully.
As you release,
Try to rest for a moment within your heart space at the end of each exhale.
Ready?
I'll do this with you.
One.
And rest in your heart space.
Two.
And rest in your heart space.
Three.
And rest in your heart space.
Now,
Get a sense of your body,
Sitting where you're sitting,
The edges of your body,
The outline of your physical form.
Get a sense of what seems to be the space that is in our body and what is outside.
Ask yourself if there is anything different about these spaces,
What is within and what is without.
Then bring your focus inside.
We all know our bodies contain many elements within,
Tissue,
Bone,
Etc.
But can you also feel an open sense of emptiness within,
Not of lacking anything,
But a vital presence that is spacious in nature?
Breathe deeply and try to feel that space expanding within you as you breathe.
Feel energized by the breath.
Can you feel yourself expanding on the inside as you take in each new breath?
If you feel your thoughts,
Notice there is also spaciousness that underlies each thought.
There is a gap between them that has no boundary.
We usually focus on the clutter of our thoughts,
But beneath them is a wide and open gulf of space.
There is also a fullness of space that underlies all emotion.
That is broader and deeper,
That rests beneath feelings as they arise.
This is a space that's safe to rest in,
No matter what sensations you feel rising and falling.
Now focus on what you feel outside of you.
With eyes closed,
Do you have a sense of the room?
Does it have a distinct temperature?
Imagine that you no longer have this boundary of your physical form that is separate from the room.
Your entire being is not contained just within your physical form,
It's larger than that.
Try to sense that what is inside of you and what is outside of you is the same.
The same space.
It's broad,
It's lively with energy,
And with each new breath you expand the space.
The space within you is connected to the space outside of you.
Do you feel how this broadens your sense of who you are?
You don't have to protect yourself,
Your physical body,
From what's in this broad,
Safe space.
It expands you and you expand it with each exhale and your very presence.
It's interconnected with you and is life-sustaining.
Try to sense that who you are extends way past this room.
With each deep inhale and exhale,
You relax more fully into this broadness that extends in front of you,
Behind you,
And from side to side.
Not just beyond the room,
But for miles and miles in all four directions.
See if you can feel that now.
Breathe and focus in front of you and beam outward as if there was a bright sun in your chest.
Radiate.
Now breathe behind and let that sun radiate backward.
Radiate.
Then imagine it emanates from the left of you,
Then the right.
Imagine that sun penetrates your brow and expands up through the crown of your head,
Up above,
Miles and miles.
Imagine that there's no limit to how far you extend.
Imagine that there's no limit to how far you extend.
In your consciousness,
In your being,
You can touch every corner of this world and beyond,
To the heavens and deep to the core of the earth.
Can you enjoy this expansive feeling?
Feel its energy,
Safety,
And aliveness.
Remain in this space now.
Feel no boundaries and an ease of openness.
Let's add a mantra now to meditate for a few minutes on this expanded feeling.
Our mantra is Rasa Hum,
Which means,
I am the essence of life.
Ready?
Let's begin.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Rasa Hum.
Continue as long as you wish,
And enjoy.
