Welcome friends,
Thank you for being with me here today.
I really appreciate it.
There are so many people in the world,
Yet why do we feel alone most of the time,
Especially during these dark uncertain times?
So many people,
So many lives,
So many stories to be shared,
To be lived.
We do not open ourselves as much to listen.
And we take refuge in our bodies and minds.
So much tension,
Energy,
Joy,
Suffering,
Which could be shared with the world,
Gets packed up in our bodies and minds,
Eventually causing us to break down,
Where all it takes is to show some love and kindness,
Some true joyful time,
And listen to what our bodies and minds have to say.
So with that in mind,
I would like to do a practice with you all on the breath and the body.
So whenever you're ready,
Finding a sitting position that allows you to be alert,
Spine erect,
But not stiff.
I would like to be as relaxed as possible.
If you're feeling particularly cold,
Might I suggest something to cover,
To feel the warmth?
If you're feeling warm,
Hot,
Please adjust accordingly.
Now when you're ready,
Close your eyes,
Establish a simple sense of presence.
Allow your awareness to scan through your body,
Wherever possible,
Softening and releasing of these tensions in the physical body,
It might be your neck,
Maybe the chest area,
Maybe in the back,
Wherever it might be,
And however much it is possible,
Try to soften.
You might want to take a few very full breaths at this point,
And then allow your breath to be natural.
It might help to count your breath to five in breath,
And then five on the out breath.
Pay your attention to where you most easily detect the breath,
Or perhaps where it's most pleasurable or joyful.
Letting this place be the center of our experience for the moment,
An anchor,
If you will,
Right here.
It may be your chest area,
Maybe the rising and the falling of your tummy,
Maybe it's in your nostrils,
Maybe it's even your whole body.
Be present with that right here.
If the breath is not a good place for you,
You might instead anchor your attention in the sensations in your hands,
Maybe even trying to look inside out in the sensations of your left hand.
How does it feel?
Is there a thing in the sensations?
And then alternating to your right hand,
How does your right hand feel?
Cold?
Warm?
Now discovering what the sensations of the breath or your chosen anchor feel like moment to moment.
Where's your attention right now?
Each time you notice that your mind is wandered off,
Is a moment of mindfulness gently bringing your attention back to the breath or to your chosen anchor,
Offering a relaxed,
Wakeful presence.
Your mind might wander a thousand times and these are thousand moments of opportunity to be mindful.
So bringing awareness back to your chosen anchor or the breath is an act of mindfulness.
Now scanning your body and noticing if any particular sensations are strong and calling your attention.
Maybe there is tension in your lower back,
Maybe there is tightening of the chest,
Maybe the neck area is softening,
Maybe there is pain.
Wherever you feel it,
It's very strong.
Allow the breath or your home base to recede to the background and bringing an interested,
Curious,
Kind attention to those sensations in the body.
What do they feel like?
Hot or cold?
Tingling,
Aching,
Vibrating?
With a soft open awareness,
Feeling the sensations as they are,
Noticing are they pleasant or unpleasant?
As you fully attend to them,
Do they become more intense or is there a dissipation,
A sense of spaciousness?
Seeing how they change.
When the sensations are no longer a strong experience for you,
Returning to mindfulness of breathing or your chosen anchor,
Coming back to home base,
You may find that your mind has already wandered,
Again gently,
Kindly,
Without any judgment,
Bringing it back to the anchor.
And if you find it difficult to stay with the strong sensations,
You might try breathing with them,
Letting the breath help you find some balance and openness.
It can also be helpful to name the sensations,
Seeing if there is a word that describes your experience.
There's no need to strain or run through a mental thesaurus to find the right word.
Just noticing what word arises could be tightness,
Aching,
Hot,
Cold,
Tingling,
Warmth,
Straining,
Opening.
Wherever possible,
Just being with it for one minute or so.
You might want to ask,
What is happening inside me right now?
Noticing any sensations that are predominant.
And then ask kindly,
Can I be with this?
Can I be with you?
Can I be with you?
Can I be with you?
Can I be with you?
Now returning to your home base,
The breath or the anchor of choice,
Offering a calm,
Steady attention.
If during the last minute or so strong sensations call your attention,
Letting your primary anchor recede and bring full attention again to what's arising.
Naming what you notice,
Offering your gracious presence.
And if nothing is calling your attention,
Continue to be with your breath or your anchor,
Relaxed and alert.
When you feel complete ajnats you now sensing the breath in the foreground moving away from the bodily sensations coming back to our anchor,
The breath just being with your breath for next 30 seconds just being with your breath for next 30 seconds before we end the meditation just being centered,
Balanced and present for the breath and being with the sensation for the next 30 seconds just being centered,
Balanced and present for the breath just being centered,
Balanced and present for the breath I thank you for sharing this experience with me I hope this has brought about a change in the way we perceive our body and breath and using them as our grounding presence to help us navigate these uncertain times thank you for meditating with me hope to see you soon again
