A warm welcome to this meditation.
We begin today with a concentration meditation.
This kind of meditation involves focusing on a single point.
This could entail following the breath,
Repeating a single word or mantra,
Staring at a candle flame or listening to a repetitive gong.
Since focusing the mind is challenging,
It might feel difficult in the beginning to focus on one specific thing.
So don't let it discourage you.
When your mind starts to wander off,
Take notice and bring then your attention in loving kindness back to this meditation.
Because the birds are quite active here at the moment,
We will concentrate during this meditation mostly on the songs and voices of the birds.
For the meditation,
Bring yourself into a comfortable seated position.
This could be a cross-legged seat or a kneeling seat.
If you sit on a chair,
Make sure your feet are flat on the ground and hip-wide apart.
Please find a comfortable seat.
Bring then your shoulders up to your ears and roll them slowly back so your chest can open to the front.
Your spine is upright and whenever you are ready,
Close your eyes.
Take some deep breaths in through your nose and exhale.
With every exhalation,
Allow yourself to arrive more and more in this present moment.
Let all tensions go.
Relax your shoulders.
Relax your lower abdomen.
Hold your spine upright yet sit relaxed.
Let all tensions go that you don't need anymore in this moment.
Relax your breathing and breathe deeper and deeper in and out.
Feel now how your body is in contact with the supporting underground.
And while you feel where your body touches the underground,
Bring deep breaths in this region of your body.
Maybe in your lower back,
Your buttock,
Your legs,
Your feet.
Feel how you are supported.
Bring now your full attention to your ears,
To your sense of hearing.
What can you hear?
Focus your awareness on the bird calls you can hear.
Go with your awareness from call to call.
Try not to judge those sounds but just be aware of them.
So often we have the tendency to categorize things in pleasant and unpleasant.
During this meditation just be aware of the different sounds and calls,
How they come and go.
When your mind gets distracted and thoughts appear,
Take note and then in loving kindness bring your awareness back to your sense of hearing,
To the bird calls.
Now listen properly.
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
Where is your attention in this very moment?
And whenever you're ready,
Come back into this present moment.
