Welcome to this 10 minute open awareness guided meditation.
Find a comfortable seated position,
Allowing your spine to be straight and your body to be relaxed.
Close your eyes gently or keep them softly open with a relaxed gaze.
Begin by taking a few deep breaths.
Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth.
Allow your body to relax with each exhale,
Letting go of any tension or stress.
Now bring your awareness to your breath.
Notice the natural rhythm of your breathing without trying to change or control it.
Simply observe the breath as it flows in and out.
As we move into this meditation,
The instruction is to let whatever happens,
Happen.
Allow your awareness to be open and receptive to whatever arises in your experience.
Whether it is a thought,
A sensation,
An emotion or a sound.
There's no need to focus on or resist anything.
Notice that the mind has a tendency to want to control or direct attention.
If you become aware of an intention to control your attention or direct your experience in any way,
Simply drop that intention.
Let it go as soon as you notice it and return to a state of open,
Effortless awareness.
If thoughts arise,
Let them come and go without trying to hold onto them or push them away.
Simply observe them as passing phenomena like clouds moving across the sky.
There's no need to engage with them or follow them.
Just let them be.
If you notice any physical sensations in your body,
Allow them to be there without trying to change or control them.
Whether the sensation is pleasant,
Unpleasant or neutral,
Simply observe it with a sense of openness and acceptance.
When emotions arise,
Acknowledge them without judgment.
Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come up,
But refrain from trying to control or change them.
Let them arise and pass away naturally.
Visualize a glass of water filled with dirt that,
Once stirred,
Needs time to let settle and become clear.
Allow your attention to be free and let the sand settle to the bottom of the glass.
Throughout this meditation,
Maintain an attitude of allowing.
Whatever happens,
Happens.
There's no need to strive or put in any effort.
Just be present with your experience as it unfolds moment by moment.
If you find yourself trying to control your attention,
Gently remind yourself to drop that intention.
Let go of any effort to control and return to a state of open,
Effortless awareness.
For the next few moments,
Continue to rest in this open awareness,
Allowing everything to be as it is.
Let go of any attempts to control or direct your experience and simply be present.
Imagine your thoughts are like trains at a train station and allow yourself to watch the trains come and go without boarding any of them.
If you notice you have hopped on a train,
Gently release your attention and go back to watching the trains come and go.
As we begin to bring this meditation to a close,
Take a few deep breaths.
Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth.
Gently bring your awareness back to your breath,
Noticing the sensation of the breath as it flows in and out.
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
Gently wiggle your fingers and toes,
Bringing some movement back into your body.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes or lift your gaze.
Carry this sense of openness and non-striving with you as you move through the rest of your day.
Thank you for joining me in this meditation.
Be well.
