Hello and welcome.
Today I'm going to guide you through a Japa mala meditation.
And while I do recommend using a mala if you have one,
You will be able to do this meditation with or without a mala.
Malas are prayer beads and beautiful necklaces that have been used as a spiritual tool for many centuries across many different religions from Buddhism to Sikhism to Christianity and Hinduism.
Now each of us have a unique resonance with our senses.
Some of us are more auditory and meditating with sounds can be helpful.
Others really connect to visuals like fractals.
If touch is a particularly powerful sense for you,
The mala can be a very anchoring,
Kinesthetic touchpoint and focusing tool for you.
Japa mala meditation uses the beads as a mindfulness tool to keep count of your mantra,
Your breath as you move around the full circle of 108 beads.
You begin the meditation just to the right of the center guru bead,
Repeating your mantra or taking a breath with each bead as you move around the mala counterclockwise,
Holding each bead between your middle finger and your thumb.
And the reason you don't use your index finger is in some traditions the index finger is associated with the ego.
So as a way to keep the ego mind out of your meditation,
You use your middle finger and your thumb.
Eventually when you arrive back at the guru bead,
You can spend some time in still reflection and either finish your meditation there or return back the way you came,
Doing as many rounds as feels good to you.
For me,
Each round takes about 5 to 10 minutes depending on the mantra.
And the more that I really savor and live within the mantra,
Without thinking about where I am in the circle,
The more timeless it begins to feel and the deeper I relax,
Often being shocked that I've arrived back at the tassel already.
Alright,
Getting into our meditation,
If you have a mala,
Go grab it now.
And if not,
That's totally fine,
Just treat this as a mantra meditation,
Using your mantra as the touchstone in your mind and coming back to it every time your mind wanders.
The mantra I'll be offering you today is I am deeply relaxed in the present moment.
I am deeply relaxed in the present moment.
However,
You're free to create your own mantra too if something feels really vivid within you right now.
For example,
You can ask yourself,
What is my heart's true desire?
And when you receive your answer,
Repeat it in the present tense.
For example,
If your desire is to be a source of love,
Repeat,
I am a source of love.
Or even just the word love.
You can also simply take a breath with each bead or chant om,
Pausing briefly in the stillness before moving on to the next bead.
Whatever you do,
Whatever you choose,
There's no rush and no right answer.
Just settle on what feels best to you today,
What feels the most loving and enjoy the feeling,
Enjoy the journey.
Closing down your eyes if you haven't already,
Releasing all thought,
Relaxing your body and coming to a place of stillness.
Mindfully breathing in for three,
Two,
One and out for five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
In for three,
Two,
One and out for five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Once more in for three,
Two,
One and out for five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Relaxing even more deeply,
Slowly coming to a place of deep inner stillness.
Connecting to each of your senses,
Noticing any sounds you hear around you,
Feeling the air temperature on your skin,
Noticing where your body connects with your cushion or the earth below you.
Coming even more deeply into your body,
Into your now.
Take a deep cleansing breath in through your nose and releasing it with a sigh through your mouth,
Holding your mala in your right hand with the tassel facing towards you,
Letting your thumb and middle finger come to rest on the bead just to the right of that center guru bead and either silently as a whisper or out loud repeating your mantra,
I am deeply relaxed in the present moment.
And then moving your fingers to the next bead to the right,
Once more repeating your mantra,
I am deeply relaxed in the present moment.
Coming to the next bead,
I am deeply relaxed in the present moment.
And continue just like that.
If you're not using a mala,
Simply repeat the mantra slowly and mindfully within,
Really feeling the words as you do.
We'll be making a complete circle and I'll be periodically giving you soft encouragement to be present,
To really feel the mantra.
Let's begin.
Go slow.
Savor the feeling of the mantra.
Live within the words fully.
Exhaust them against the earth.
Exhaust.
Pause where you are now.
Take a deep breath.
Let it go fully.
And then continue.
And then continue.
Repeating the mantra oh so slowly.
Feeling the space between the words.
And then continue.
And then continue.
Live inside the mantra,
Live in this moment,
This speed.
Be right here as if there is only right here.
And then continue.
You're doing so well.
And then continue.
And then continue.
All thought of time,
All thoughts of the outside world.
Simply focus on your mantra.
Become the mantra.
And then continue.
See if you can feel each word even more deeply as truth in your body now.
And then continue.
Feel how safe you are,
How relaxed you are.
And then relax,
Melt,
Dissolve even deeper.
And then continue.
As we meet back at the guru bead,
Our circle is complete.
And for a few moments,
Simply rest in the stillness,
In the silence and receive the effects of your meditation.
And then continue.
When you're ready,
You can open up your eyes.
Coming back into your body.
Arriving fully where you are.
Sometimes I like to kiss my mala.
Or use the tassel and just dust it over my third eye,
My heart,
The top of my head.
Thank you so much for joining me here today.
Let me move into your day with deep peace and presence.
Feeling fully held and supported by this moment.
All my love and appreciation.
Thank you.
