Guided Meditation 2.
1 The One Cell Meditation.
What is it like to be asked to hold yourself with warmth?
If this is a tall order,
Here is a meditation that might make it easier.
Instead of having to feel kindness for your whole self,
The One Cell Meditation asks you to just be gentle with one small part of yourself.
Again,
As we begin the meditation,
Make yourself comfortable.
You can begin by wondering what is your sense of your whole body.
Notice that you have toes,
Ankles,
Knees,
Hips,
Fingers,
Wrists,
Elbows,
Shoulders,
Ribs,
A stomach and a back,
And that as you breathe,
You can feel your breath go in and out.
Yes,
You are a breathing being,
And you might be able to feel that sensation in your body.
Where is your sensation of breathing most alive?
Invite your attention to rest there.
As you ask your attention to stay with that place of aliveness,
Be warm and accepting,
No matter where your focus goes.
You can see your attention as a curious or wary puppy or as a gung-ho toddler,
And see if that brings you any more ease.
As you speak to your attention,
Allow your voice to be gentle and warmly curious.
Hello,
Attention,
Would you be willing to come to my breath?
As you ask your attention to change its focus,
Let your touch or intention be soft and respectful.
When your attention is drawn to other parts of your body or to other thoughts,
Thank it for its persistent efforts to support your well-being by going to what it thinks is most important,
And gently and with kindness,
Ask it to return to your breath.
Now,
With your eyes closed,
Put one hand out in front of you,
Palm up.
In your imagination,
Bring one tiny live cell from your body out into the palm of your hand.
See how you feel about this one small pulsing entity.
Can you see that it is in relationship with the larger world?
That it has a tender skin that keeps it separate from all your other cells,
But still lets communication happen?
That it notices the tone of the emotions that it lives in and responds to them?
Sometimes,
As we connect with different parts of our body,
We find that these parts really want to contribute to the whole of us.
Do you find that this cell cares for you and wants the best for you?
Can you feel warmth and care for it?
How about gratitude?
Notice whether this one cell,
As a representative of your whole being,
Spends much of its time in a particular emotion.
If this cell had an emotional tone,
Would it be lonely or sad?
Is this cell needing reassurance and comfort?
Is it fearful or anxious and longing for safety and predictability?
Is it irritated or angry and wanting respect and consideration?
Is this a happy cell?
Is it glad to be acknowledged and appreciated?
Would it enjoy company in its satisfaction?
Notice whether it is possible for you to feel appreciation for this cell's contribution to your life.
How is this cell feeling with your attention on it?
Is it relaxing a bit?
Now,
In your imagination,
Return this cell to your body and let it communicate its experience to the cells around it.
What is that like?
If this experience was pleasant,
It may be that this cell will let all the other cells in your body know that it is possible to be held with warmth and care,
And a warm glow may begin somewhere and ripple gently through you.
Bring your attention back to your body as a whole.
Is it any easier to feel warmth for your whole self after having done it for a tiny part of you?
Whether it is or it isn't,
Invite your attention to notice what it is like to be you as a physical being composed of many cells in gravity.
Where do you feel your body touching surfaces?
Can you feel your own weight and presence?
Are your feet on the floor?
Is your bottom on a chair?
Where are your arms and hands?
What is holding them up?
How is the balance of your head on your spine?
Notice that you are being supported by the earth.
Just for one small moment,
Allow gravity to be the earth's love for you and your being,
And gently let yourself return to present time to whatever you will bring your attention to next.
