Whole Body Meditation

Once the attention begins to stabilize, you can bring attention to other sensations in the body. At first, it is helpful to use the breath as the anchor and to return there whenever you notice you have started thinking. Once you have reconnected with the breath, you can then expand the awareness again to include other sensations, until you are witnessing all of the sensations that arise in the body - breathing, sitting, seeing, hearing. And if the mind is very busy, just the breath.

Transcript

Noticing how it feels to sit.

Feeling the contact with the floor and the seat,

Wherever the hands are resting.

Finding a position that is upright and relaxed.

Taking a moment to soften the face,

Especially around the brow.

Relaxing the jaw.

Relaxing the shoulders.

Relaxing the belly.

Sitting with a strong back and a soft front.

Noticing how it feels to breathe sitting this way.

And any time you notice that you have lost track of the breath,

Coming back patiently and starting again.

If the mind is very busy,

It may help to bring some attention to softening the face.

And when the face is very soft,

Coming back to the breath.

If you feel that the attention is drifting or you are sleepy,

Checking to see that you are sitting with a strong back and a soft front.

And now,

Noticing this breath.

And now,

Including in the awareness the sensations of sitting and breathing.

Open to all of the sensations of touch in the body,

Including the sensations of the breath.

And now,

Bringing awareness to sound.

Sitting,

Breathing and hearing.

Noticing sound as just a sensation.

Sensations arise,

Maybe linger and then dissipate.

And now perhaps also noticing sight.

Looking at the backs of your eyelids.

Noticing sight as simply a pattern with no meaning.

And keeping awareness of the breath at the center.

Open to any of the sensations that arise in the body.

In each moment,

Attending to whatever presents itself.

And any time you notice that the attention has wandered off,

Starting again with just the breath.

And as the attention settles,

Including more of the sensations in the body.

Sitting,

Breathing,

Hearing,

Seeing.