Vipassana Morning Retreat 2 - Standing Meditation

In Vipassana, standing meditation gives rest to soreness in the legs and allows the meditator to develop a different sense during meditation. This short 10-minute guided practice follows session 1 of the Morning Retreat.

Transcript

Stand in Tadasana pose,

Tall and straight,

Feet together,

You can feel your ankles touching,

Scan your body slowly from the soles of your feet,

Up through your legs,

Push your hips slightly forward so that you stand even straighter,

Suck in your tummy,

Slowly scan your spine,

Make it as straight as possible,

Roll your shoulders back,

Check both arms are in line with the line of your legs,

Left palm and right palm at your hips,

Arms as straight as possible,

Focus on your head,

Try to align your head with the center of your spine,

Chin tilted slightly down,

Lengthening your neck as much as possible,

Bring your awareness to the top of your head,

To the crown chakra,

Imagine a string attached to your crown chakra,

Pulling you up,

Taller,

Straighter,

Longer,

How tall can you stand?

At the other end of your body,

Imagine roots going down into the earth from the soles of your feet,

Stretching you into the earth,

You are the connection between the earth and the sky.

If you can,

Close your eyes,

Feel how the body pivots on one point at the soles of your feet,

You are a dancer,

Ready to take the first step,

Poised for action,

Check again that you are standing as tall as possible,

Be aware of your entire body standing,

Feel the thrill of this simple,

Complicated action,

Gently open your eyes,

Relax your body and return to your cushion