Finding A Core Of Strength - Extended

20-minute extended practice. Settle into the body and orient to the space around you, sending a signal of safety to the nervous system. Feeling the weight of the body and the steady contact with the ground, we then turn attention to the spine, sensing the alignment, strength, and alertness of sitting upright. By bringing these two experiences together, rooted in the earth and rising toward the sky, this practice cultivates an inner core of strength, helping us feel stable, confident, and present, and making it easier to return to this steadiness in the midst of daily life.

Transcript

Hey there. In this session, I'll offer some suggestions on how to meditate to develop an inner core of strength and increase your sense of confidence. To begin, I invite you to take a few moments to look around the room or space wherever you are right now. Just let your eyes wander. Go wherever they want. Explore the space, Looking all around or above you. Let yourself notice any details visually that stand out. Colors. Shapes, Areas of light or dark. This process of orienting to our surroundings lets our organism know exactly where we are, And it can help to send a signal of safety to our nervous system, Which begins the process of calming and settling for meditation. And whenever you're ready. Go ahead and let your eyes close or just gaze down at the ground in front of you. You can take a few slow, Deep breaths if you like. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, Long and slow. And let your breathing return to normal. And see if you can become aware of the sensations of sitting. What lets you know that you're sitting right now? I mean, What are the actual sensations? Particular configuration of heaviness. Pressure hardness. One aspect of confidence comes from feeling safe and grounded inside. And we can access that sensibility and develop it through meditation. As we practice together. If it's helpful, You can continue to keep a light awareness of breathing in the background. As you sit. See if you can begin to feel the weight of your body. So notice the places where your body touches the ground. Your feet or knees on the floor. Your bottom on the chair. Or cushion. Again, What's it feel like there? Can you feel the sense of heaviness? That firm. Steady contact. With the Earth. Let all of your attention Begin to rest with those sensations of weight and gravity. Like a stone sinking down through a clear pool of water. Let your attention Begin to sink down through your body. All the way down into your lower body. To the places where you touch the ground. Keep coming back to the ground. The heaviness and solidity of the earth. Feeling grounded is the first part of developing inner strength. See if you can let this experience of weight the contact with the ground. Steady your mind. Feel that support. Of the earth beneath you. How your body is held up. By the ground. Noticing whatever's stable. Solid about those sensations. What's the effect on the rest of your body as you notice this? Does anything settle? Or relax. How's your breathing right now? You can bring your attention back to these sensations. To this experience of groundedness anytime. First practicing it while sitting or standing, Later while walking, Reclining. Next from this place of groundedness. I invite you to bring your attention to your spine. If you're setting. Feel how your spine is upright. How the torso rises up from the pelvis. How do you know that your body is upright? What are the actual sensations you feel? A sense of balance. Or distance. What's it feel like to bring your attention to your spine? Can you tune into the sense of strength? Your back. How it supports your body. Gives structure. Form and alertness. Sense your head and neck. Shoulders. See if you can sense all the way down your spine along your back. Notice any sense of alignment. Strength. Or clarity that comes from sitting up straight. You can do this even if you're in a reclining posture. By noticing the alignment of the spine. How the torso is symmetrical. With the spine forming an axis down the middle. Take some time to rest your attention here. With this experience of being upright. Feeling the strength and the support of the spine. You might still be aware of your breathing. And try to give more attention to that sense of alignment. Clarity, And uprightness. You can imagine the space between each vertebra in your spine. Gently extending. Getting a little bit longer. As your sit bones root down into the ground. And the crown of your head rises up ever so slightly. Allowing your spine to extend to its natural length. So to develop a core of inner strength. We'll begin to bring these two experiences together. The sense of being grounded. Rooted in the earth. And being upright. Rising tall to the sky. So come back to feeling your lower body. The contact with the ground. See if you can sense the stability. The firmness and weight there. And this is like your root, Your ground. And then sense your spine. Rising up from this solid base. Feel your torso, Shoulders. Neck and head. Feeling the alignment as your spine rises up to the sky. Even as you remain steady and grounded. So we balance these two forces. These two movements. Downward into the ground. Rooted. Stable. And upwards to the sky. Alert. Alive. This is your core of strength. Feeling the solidity and steadiness of the ground. Together with a clear, Strong, Upright spine. Let's take some time to continue sitting like this. You might be aware of your breathing. Of thoughts or emotions that come and go. Giving more attention. Staying here with the body. To this core of strength. Awake, Alert, And balanced. Let yourself really feel what it's like to be here in this way. Letting every muscle, Every tissue and cell register the experience. Of being grounded and alert. Of having an inner core of strength and stability. The more time we spend. Familiarizing ourself with how this feels. The easier it is to recollect it. To come from this place in the midst of our day-to-day life. Connected to the ground. Extending to the sky. Stable and alert. Letting thoughts. Impulses and emotions just come and go in the background. Sensing your breathing. Deeply in touch with the body. Connected to the ground. Extending to the sky. Stable and alert. Thanks so much for taking some time to practice with me. When you're ready, You can slowly let your eyes open. Take a few moments. To orient to your surroundings again. Letting your attention come back into the room or space wherever you are. See if you can take this experience of being grounded Upright and alert. Into your life. Remembering your core of inner strength. Alright, Thanks so much. Hope to see you here again.