So,
The practice has 4 simple parts.
1.
Breathe rhythmically.
2.
Conduct a steady,
Gentle,
Kind body scan.
3.
Label any distractions as they occur.
4.
Let them pass.
Whilst you are practicing,
You may be distracted by your own interoception.
Your internal senses that notice changes in your organs and internal systems.
For example,
A growling stomach,
Tense muscles,
Your lungs expanding and contracting,
Or maybe your pelvic floor contracting,
Or your heart beating.
Distractions will come in many forms whilst you are doing this,
And each time those distractions arise,
I would like you to simply notice them and label them.
In this practice,
We are going to label them very simply,
As either external,
Senses,
Or emotions,
Or feelings,
Or thoughts.
If you notice your mind has started to wander,
Or you start to ask questions or follow trains of thoughts,
Just gently notice that it has happened,
And bring your attention back to your breath,
And notice and label it as a thought,
And let it go.
So,
Sit comfortably,
Either on a cushion or a chair.
Rest your hands in your lap,
Or if you prefer,
You can use a particular mudra that you find helpful for internal inquiry.
Now just gently bring the attention to your breath.
Just notice your exhale,
And notice your inhale.
Notice the pauses in between your inhale and exhale.
Now begin to notice the length of your exhale and your inhale,
And the pauses in between,
And then begin to find your own rhythm that's comfortable for you.
Feel that rhythm naturally flow,
And I invite you to keep that rhythm throughout the whole of this practice.
Once you've found your rhythm,
And are comfortable keeping it,
I'd like you to begin to scan your body slowly from head to toe.
Just lightly notice all the main areas of the body,
As you literally scan down from your head,
Into your neck,
Into your shoulders,
And your arms,
Your chest,
Your heart,
Your torso,
Your gut,
Through your pelvis,
Your upper leg,
Your lower leg,
Into your feet and down to your toes.
When you get to your toes,
Gently start the scan again from your head,
And I invite you to gently but mindfully repeat this body scan throughout the entire practice.
If you miss parts,
Don't worry,
You can pick them up on the next scan through.
As you scan your body,
Gently release any tension you notice,
Just using your breath.
As you focus on your breath,
Become the witness of what is going on within your system.
Do not be subject to it,
Do not be caught up in it,
Just see these distractions as objects and label them as they arise.
Be kind to yourself as you scan your body,
And don't judge whatever you notice.
And likewise with your breath,
Should you lose your rhythm,
Don't judge it,
Just notice it,
And take some time to find your rhythm again.
Let the rhythm of your breath flow,
And keep gently and slowly scanning your body,
Gently and slowly scanning your body,
Labelling any distractions as they occur.
Keep breathing rhythmically,
And keep gently and slowly scanning your body,
Labelling any distractions as they occur.
As each emotion,
Feeling,
Or thought shows up to distract you,
Just label it and let it go.
Notice the more you practice,
The bigger the gaps become between the distractions.
Notice the peace that arises in the gaps.
Enjoy that peace.
This practice is just the start of improving our awareness,
And finding the peace that occurs when we improve our ability to focus,
And let the noise pass.
Gently bring your attention to your cushion or your seat,
And just let your breath do its own thing naturally,
Let it find its own natural rhythm,
Don't try and control it.
Feel your body well grounded,
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Open your eyes.
May you be safe,
May you be well,
May you be happy,
And may you always live with ease and peace.
