I wanted to start the practice today with a tuning in exercise where we really work on being mindful,
Mindful of where we are in the present moment and how all the sensations,
All the experiences are showing up.
So get yourself into your most comfortable seat.
Maybe today that's lying down.
Maybe today that's sitting with your back against a wall.
Maybe today that's sitting in a different position.
Maybe sitting cross legged isn't comfortable for you.
Maybe you want to sit on your heels.
Maybe you want to sit on a chair today.
Whatever feels like it's really nurturing and comfortable for you,
Meet yourself where you're at and take that position.
And then let's bring the one hand on top of the other and let the thumbs touch.
So the palms are facing upwards,
The thumbs are touching and they're just resting in your lap or if you're lying down,
They're just resting,
It's just resting around your pelvic area.
And then just be aware of your breath.
And notice how the breath is showing up right now.
Maybe the breath is smooth.
Maybe the breath is choppy.
Maybe the breath comes and goes in a different rhythm.
Perhaps the breath sits in your chest or perhaps your breath sits in your belly.
Maybe your breath is shallow today or maybe your breath is deep.
Just be present,
Be mindful of what's showing up right now in your breath.
And notice if there are any thoughts that arise about your experience of your breath.
And just take a moment to be present with those thoughts,
Just allowing for them without needing them to be anything other than what they are.
And notice if any emotions show up about your experience of the breath.
Again,
Just let them be there.
Being present with all the thoughts,
Feelings and sensations that are arising right now.
Now become aware of the sounds all around you.
Notice the sounds that are far away.
Noticing the sounds that are right close to you,
Maybe just the sound of your breath.
And take the time to reach and stretch your awareness to the furthest sound.
Maybe it's some sound in the next room,
Even a sound outside the room.
Maybe you can hear a sound in the distance.
Just taking a moment to acknowledge that every sound comes and goes in the presence of silence.
Now be aware of the hands resting in your lap or resting somewhere on your body.
Maybe you can feel that sensation of the thumbs touching each other.
Being aware of the difference between where the hands are touching and then where the hands are touching the body.
Be aware of the air on your skin.
The sensation perhaps of clothes and bare skin,
How your clothes are touching your skin.
Notice how the air is constantly changing,
Fluctuating.
Just be present of any sensations that are arising in this moment and any thoughts about the sensations and even the feelings about the sensations.
Just allowing for everything to be here right now.
Just become aware of your closed eyelids and how there is a light filtering through the eyelids.
Maybe you can see the light as some sort of pattern or color.
Notice how when you focus on where the eyes are,
There is a sense of the eyes in the eye sockets.
Maybe your gaze even drifts to the center of your forehead.
Notice how there is a light there too.
Just notice any thoughts,
Any feelings arising from the sensation of gazing at light with eyes closed.
Bring your awareness to the feeling of saliva in your mouth,
Maybe even take a swallow.
Notice that there is taste on the tongue.
See if you can sense whether the taste is salty,
Sweet,
Sour,
Bitter,
Astringent.
Not trying to look for the taste,
Just noticing if that sense of taste arises right now.
Notice the feeling of the tongue resting in your palate.
Does the tongue rest on the bottom or the top quite naturally?
Again,
Just being present with any thoughts,
Any sensations,
Anything that is arising right now in this moment.
Maybe you can even feel the saliva collecting again in your mouth and you need to take another swallow.
Now being very present with the nostrils and the sense of smell.
Is there a sense of smell?
Is there no sense of smell?
Just being present with what you're observing right now physically,
Mentally,
Emotionally,
Just in this moment focusing on the nostrils and the sense of smell.
And draw your awareness to the back of your body,
Right at the base of your neck.
And scan your awareness down from the base of your neck all the way down to the base of your spine.
And then see if you can sense if you're sitting on the ground,
The back of your tailbone and rock your seat forward to the front of your sitting bones.
Just take a moment just to rock back and forth.
Now if you're lying down,
You could also tuck your tailbone under and then arch your spine a little bit,
Just feeling that rocking through the lower spine.
So we have this ability to tilt forward and tilt back.
Just notice how that changes your awareness on every level,
What's happening now in this moment as you gently move your pelvis.
How does that change the breath?
And then take your time,
Just come to a point of stillness.
As if you're balanced on the center of your sitting bones or just feeling if you're lying down,
Your pelvis in neutral,
And sense energy just flowing through the body in whatever way that shows up for you.
Just meet yourself where you are at right now.
And again,
Being aware of your breath,
Noticing the breath in the body,
Noticing the breath flowing in and out of the nostrils,
Noticing your experience,
Your thoughts,
Your mind,
Your emotions.
And then we'll close this part of the practice with three OMs.
Taking a big breath in.
YSELVAMA AGEN GIBRmon Aum
