Hello,
My name is Sam and welcome to this Vipassana meditation to help you relax and gain an all-important insight into your body,
Breath and mind.
Now,
Vipassana is actually two words and it translates from Sanskrit to mean The,
Special or super and Passana,
Seeing.
A deep dive into the law of impermanence can profoundly facilitate your ability to let go of the attachments that produce so much unnecessary suffering.
The process itself is very simple.
It's the mastery that can take some time and patience.
So let's begin by finding a seated position that allows you to remain alert and most importantly awake.
Having the spine erect is best,
Although not rigid.
Feel free to use a wall to lean against if you're sitting on the floor or maybe a high back chair.
A cushion underneath can provide a bit more softness and comfort.
Rest your hands in your lap in a way that does not require any effort to maintain and then close your eyes.
Take a few moments to allow any obvious tension to subside,
Such as in your shoulders,
Your fingers or your jaw.
Release any grip on the belly and let go of your hips.
Let's bring the attention to the breath directly as the mind can often and quickly start to think about other things.
The breath is a strong anchor,
Like a thought magnet,
And it helps us to stay in the present and to quieten the mind.
Feel free to take some conscious,
Full breaths in to aid the relaxation process.
Note how each one feels,
How it moves your body and what it sounds like.
Now release your conscious control over the breath and let it resume its own automatic rhythm and style.
Observe how your automatic breath is moving.
Where do you detect it most easily?
You might feel it as it flows in and out of your nose.
You might feel the touch of breath around your nostrils or on your upper lip.
Or perhaps you feel the movement of your chest or the rising and falling of your belly.
Bring your attention to the sensations of breath in one of those areas,
Perhaps wherever you feel it most distinctly.
Or maybe you might feel a sense of the whole body breathing.
And we're allowing the breath to just be as it is.
There's no need to control the breath.
And there's no right way of breathing.
With a gentle curiosity and light attention,
Observe and discover what your breath is like as a changing experience of sensations.
You might have noticed that the mind will drift off of its own accord,
And this is completely natural.
It's just doing what it was designed to do.
Understand that the mind's nature is to be playful,
Mischievous and active.
There's no need for us to clear the mind of all thought.
Rather,
We're developing the skill to recognize when thoughts are happening without getting caught up in the story of the thought.
A bit like a distant onlooker.
To help release the thoughts,
You might simply label it,
This is a thought,
And then let it go.
Once you've labeled it,
Gently invite your awareness back to the breathing.
Thinking of this place like a home base that you can return to each time that you wander off.
Little by little,
The mind learns to settle down.
And it feels steady,
Calm and peaceful.
There may be external factors and noises that disturb you,
Like a knock at the door,
The telephone or airplanes passing overhead.
Allow these to stay in the background without drawing you away from the here and now,
Away from your home base.
You might like to label these sounds in the same way that you label the thought before letting them go.
With your awareness anchored in the breathing,
Begin to include all bodily sensations in this observation.
Any feeling,
However big or small,
Whether pleasant,
Unpleasant or neutral,
You are learning the art of self-observation whilst being in touch with the fact that you are breathing in and out.
If any particular sensations become strong and call your attention,
Allow those sensations,
Rather than the breath,
To become the primary subject of mindfulness.
You might feel tingles,
Itches,
Aches,
Pains,
Stabbings,
Vibrations,
Heat and so on.
Allow yourself to inspect each one with a gentle interest.
As you hold your focus on each one,
What happens?
Does it become more intense or does it dissipate?
Notice how the sensation changes.
When the sensations are no longer a strong experience,
Return to mindfulness of breathing or perhaps listening to and feeling your moment-to-moment experience.
If you are experiencing any strong sensations,
Especially unpleasant ones,
Work with the breath by sending the breath directly into that area.
Let the breath help you find relief and softness.
Let the breath help you find some balance and openness in the midst.
You can,
Of course,
Return to home base at any point that it doesn't feel good for you.
In a similar way,
When strong emotions arise like fear,
Sadness,
Happiness,
Excitement or grief,
You can practice meeting each one with a kind and open presence,
Not pushing anything away,
Not judging,
Not resisting what's happening.
Rather,
Simply notice and allow the experience just as it is.
Is there a particular location in the body that you feel this emotion?
What sensations do you associate with it?
Is it moving or stationary?
How big is it?
Is there judgment in your mind about what's happening?
Perhaps a sense of restlessness or irritation?
Does your mind feel contracted or open?
As you pay attention,
Just notice what's happening and let it be just as it is.
As before,
Try to be the distant onlooker and allow these sensations to come and go or to transform into something new.
Nothing is permanent.
How is it changing for you?
Beep,
Beep,
Beep.
When it feels like the right time to move on,
Either seek out another sensation or feeling in the body or simply return back to your breath,
Back to your home base.
Thoughts,
Feelings and sensations are fleeting and ever-changing,
Much like the seasons and the weather.
Because something is noticed today,
Does not affirm who you are,
Like the seasons and the weather.
One is not better nor worse than the other.
They all just are.
What matters most is our willingness to be awake regardless of the weather so that we may gain a deeper understanding of the nature of our reality.
Staying in the present,
You may return to your breath or perhaps explore just being without any anchors.
Allow your senses to be wide open,
Listening to and feeling the entire moment.
Every time you feel yourself getting distracted,
Gently come back to the breath and do so patiently and gently without scolding yourself or trying to control your thoughts.
Let's become aware of the body once more as we prepare to end this practice.
You might notice parts that are touching the surface beneath you or simply feel how heavy your body is.
With deep breaths and gentle movements in your fingers and toes,
Allow the physical awakening to happen.
And take your time,
Just doing whatever your body's natural instinct is to help bring you back into the physical world.
Before you carry on with your day,
Take a moment to pause and thank yourself for giving yourself this time and space to do something really valuable.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
