Day 1 Meditation practice,
Paying attention on purpose to the senses.
As we begin to settle down for this 20 minute practice,
Finding a comfortable position.
Shifting your weight in your body,
Observing your seat,
Perhaps noticing the point of contact of your lower body to the chair or to the ground.
Lengthen and enliven your torso and your spine so you feel supported through your centre,
Finding a sense of ease,
Being able to breathe fully without any restrictions.
Take a moment to notice and observe the breath,
Perhaps noticing where you feel it most in your body,
Allowing the breath to move freely and as best as you can,
Just noticing the rolling in and rolling out of the breath,
Its rhythm,
Its pace,
Its existence in your very alive and alert body.
When you're ready,
Let's begin to turn towards the body sensations and senses.
As we become aware and awake,
Take a moment to tune into the sense of sound.
Noticing what sounds are in the foreground of your awareness.
And as you pay attention,
Noticing what sounds you may hear from far away.
Amen.
Noticing what sounds are here for you that are closer by.
Perhaps noticing that there is a beginning,
A middle and an end to the sound.
With kindness and curiosity,
Exploring the sense of sound.
Perhaps even noticing sounds that the breath makes as you breathe in and you breathe out.
Maybe there's no particular sound of the breath.
Awakening to the sense of sound.
And now beginning to tune in to the sensation of smell.
Noticing what smells are here for you now in this present moment.
Perhaps there are pleasant smells.
Perhaps unpleasant smells.
Or maybe there is no particular smell in your realm of consciousness at the moment.
Perhaps noticing what it's like to become aware and awake to the sensation of smell.
And now when you're ready,
Begin to turn your awareness and attention onto the sensation of taste.
Noticing if there is any particular taste in the mouth in this present moment.
Perhaps the lingering taste from your last meal or drink.
Or maybe you notice the taste of moisture or dryness in the mouth.
Gently and kindly exploring the sensation of taste.
Perhaps there is no particular taste.
Just noticing.
Observing this moment to the next.
What is your present moment experience with taste?
And now as you move your focus gently with the beginner's mind expanding awareness to the whole body.
Noticing the whole body as you sit.
Noticing what it's like to be with the body in this present moment.
Perhaps you might notice the temperature.
Or maybe your attention may wonder to sensations in the body.
Feelings of tingling or tension,
Tightness or ease.
There's no right or wrong.
Gently noticing what is on the horizon,
The landscape,
Feeling and sensing the whole body.
Noticing what is here for you now.
Perhaps there are sensations of familiarity.
Sensations that we know well.
Perhaps there are sensations of neutrality where there is no particular sensation to be felt.
Perhaps there are sensations of unfamiliarity.
Something new to be explored.
Observing with patience and trust.
Moment by moment.
And if your mind has wandered to thoughts or got caught up in thoughts,
Acknowledging and observing without judgment,
Congratulating yourself,
Catching yourself here in this moment of your humanness.
Feeling it when you're ready,
Coming back to tuning in to sensations.
As we begin to invite the sense of sight,
Keeping your eyes closed with a soft gaze,
Observing in your awareness,
Noticing any shapes or colors,
Shades that might be here for you now.
Turning your awareness towards the center of sight.
And if your eyes are closed,
Gently,
Gently allowing a sliver of light in.
Slowly opening the eyes bit by bit.
Feeling present with a sense of sight.
Drinking in your surroundings.
Realizing what colors are here.
Textures.
Shadows.
Tuning in to the sense of sight.
When you're ready,
Take a few moments now to reconnect with your body.
Scanning your body from the crown of your head.
Slowly and gently,
All the way down to the soles of your feet,
To the tips of your toes.
Noticing the posture that you have chosen for this practice,
The shape that you have formed.
And as you continue to expand your awareness outwards,
Beginning to acknowledge and notice the room or the space that you are inhabiting,
Sounds and smells,
Physical sensations,
Exploring this moment by moment experience.
Finally begin to move your body gently in whatever way feels good for you.
Opening your eyes if they're not already open.
Taking some deep conscious breaths,
Stretching,
Shifting.
Congratulations,
You've spent the last 20 minutes paying attention on purpose to the senses.
This is mindfulness and as we become more awake and aware,
Flexing the mind muscle in this way,
Your meditation practice becomes less of a struggle.
Remember there is no right or wrong.
We are not striving to achieve anything other than sitting and observing.
We have nowhere to go.
There is no end goal.
We are practicing with this mindset of being,
Paying attention on purpose,
With kindness,
With compassion,
Here right now in all our humanness.
Thank you for joining me for this practice.
Your session is now complete.
