So welcome to session 8 of our 30 session introduction to meditation course and today we're going to focus on a theme called popping out of our thoughts which is a combination of insight and calming together.
So we're moving into our next module.
Now as we go about life we're constantly taking in stimulus and then processing it.
We're determining whether something is good or bad and this is how evolutionarily we adapted from back in the thousands and thousands of years ago was this going to bring food into the cave or is it trying to take food out of the cave.
So we always have this assessment that's happening in our brains and we really can't stop that process.
That's just how we're wired.
Interestingly our brain also can't tell the difference between what is external insights coming in and what our imagination is.
So the stories that we tell ourselves and that we take on about what's going on around us in the past,
The present,
The future take on the same weight as real events happening outside ourselves and we're constantly and ceaselessly assessing is it good or bad,
How do we respond,
Do we respond and this constant state of vigilance and arousal is really exhausting and it adversely affects us all through anxiety,
Depression,
Fear,
Illness,
Whatnot.
Meditation kind of helps us take the edge off of all this not by stopping what's happening but by being able to step out of it and see it and observe it without judgment or criticism and then decide whether we want to respond or not and if so how do we respond.
So it's creating space and it's giving ourselves a little bit of time and calmness before we decide to make a decision.
So this is really called popping out of our thoughts.
So let's recognize them not be triggered by them and simply watch what's going on again not judging or criticizing or trying to act on them immediately.
So how does this work?
Let's find out.
Coming now to sit.
Entering into our meditation.
Setting your intention to be here present and alert.
Taking a few moments to find and settle into your favorite meditation posture.
Sitting as tall as you can with the least amount of effort.
Back straight and aligned.
Body relaxed.
Resilient in the balance between effort and ease.
Eyes closed or open,
Whichever you prefer.
Beginning with three deep calming breaths.
Breathing in fully through your nose.
Exhaling completely through your mouth.
Pulling your belly button back toward your spine.
And letting out a nice gentle sigh.
Closing your mouth and continuing to breathe in and out through your nose.
And softening your forehead.
Eyes.
Cheeks.
Jaw.
Mouth.
Neck.
Shoulders.
Arms.
Hands.
Loosening your chest.
Relaxing your shoulders.
Relaxing your lower back.
Releasing your belly.
Soft and warm.
Your groin.
Legs.
And feet.
With each out breath,
Settling deeper and deeper into your meditation.
Taking a moment to check in with how you feel right now.
What's the weather like inside?
What's the weather like inside?
Letting your awareness move freely and randomly through your body.
Are there any pockets of tension?
Holding?
Soreness?
With each out breath,
Letting all this melt away.
And checking in with your mental posture.
Your equanimity.
Not tight.
Tense.
Worried.
Instead,
Easy.
Open.
Open.
Resilient.
Not concerned that things need to be perfect.
In meditation,
We are realists.
We start from where we are.
If there are sounds,
That is how it is today.
If we're restless or agitated,
That's just how it is today.
We can still meditate.
Beginning with acceptance of what's already happening.
Without judging or criticizing.
Or feeling the need to change or fix anything.
For now,
Everything is welcome.
Now easing your awareness in closely to the sensations of breath.
The breath in.
And the breath out.
A gentle lifting up through your spine.
Neck and head with the in breath.
A lifting of the chest.
And your whole body gently settling as you relax.
With the out breath.
Going deeper and deeper.
Breathing in and up.
And out and down.
Your breath is like a gentle wave.
Rising.
Cresting and falling.
Your awareness is riding on that wave.
Aware of all the subtle sensations of movement within your body as you breathe.
A gentle swaying and shifting with each breath.
The wave motion of the breath soothes you.
Restores you.
A sense of ease and resilience with each breath.
Just this breath coming in.
Just this breath going out.
Aware of all the sensations of breath.
As each breath follows the other in a constant cycle of renewal and flow.
Each breath unique.
Each in breath a new beginning.
Each out breath a letting go.
Meditation is learning to enjoy the simplicity of breath.
Giving yourself space to do this one simple thing.
Meditation.
Giving yourself a break.
A rest.
A pause.
Sometimes we get immersed in our thoughts.
Sometimes we get inside a thought bubble.
And no longer know what's going on with meditation,
Breath,
Or anything else.
It's like we go through life on autopilot.
This is normal.
With meditation we start to see that we're larger than our thoughts or our emotions.
And we can actually learn to pop out of our thoughts and just watch them.
Imagine your thoughts are a bit like greyhound buses.
Speeding along a highway.
Sometimes it might feel like we're stuck on the bus.
But we can learn to step off the bus.
And sit in a comfortable chair by the side of the road.
Watching the buses zoom by.
From this place we can also see the rest of the scenery all around us.
The beautiful wide open expanse of ocean.
Sky.
Fields.
Mountains.
Rivers.
It's all very peaceful.
It turns out we can learn to live here in this wider space.
This ability is the beginning of calm and equanimity.
Now let yourself get curious.
Now let yourself get curious.
And notice when your thoughts begin to take control and you step onto the bus.
And as soon as you notice you're thinking,
You're on the bus,
You're no longer inside the thought bubble.
Just the noticing you've instantly stepped off the bus.
That's a real honest to goodness superpower.
We have this ability to pop out into a broader bandwidth or awareness.
And we return our attention to our breath.
And here's the good news.
You don't need to stop or control your thoughts.
They can still be there in the background.
Those greyhound buses zooming by.
You're simply learning how not to be stuck inside the bus.
We're exercising our mental muscle.
Our calming muscle.
Once we notice we've become distracted by a thought or emotion,
We can pop out,
Returning to our breath.
Each time we do this,
Our calming muscle gets a little bit more relaxed.
Each time we do this,
Our calming muscle gets a little stronger.
Now just let yourself drift,
Without trying to do anything at all.
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Releasing your posture Wiggling your toes and your fingers Taking a deep breath in and stretching your arms up high A nice big stretch And as you lower your arms,
Letting out a nice sigh Rubbing your legs And as you do that,
Rocking side to side and back and forth Bringing a bit of motion back into your body Waking it up slowly Reaching behind to your lower back,
Giving your lower back a massage Sliding your hands around to your belly Gently holding your lower belly And offering your phrases of loving-kindness as affirmations for yourself Beginning with repeating,
I am well Hands over your heart Repeating,
I am happy,
Loved and loving Crossing your arms and giving yourself a hug As you lightly stroke down your arm from shoulder to elbow a few times as you repeat to yourself I am safe I am safe At home In my body With my breath And caressing your face,
Beginning with your forehead And your cheeks and jaw Through your hair,
Over the top of your head Around to the back of your neck Pausing to give your neck and shoulders a massage And hands back to your heart And back to your belly And finishing with repeating,
I am peaceful and at ease Take a moment to be grateful for this gift of self-care that you gave yourself And being able to share it here with each other in our community And remember what we practiced today That you can step off the bus anytime you want Just by noticing And coming back to your breath And rubbing the palms of your hands together,
Warming them Lightly cupping them over your eyes As you breathe in,
Opening your eyes And as you breathe out,
Slowly lowering your hands Returning your awareness to the room around you Thank you