Open Awareness For Mindful Presence And Inner Calm

This guided meditation offers a brief respite of open awareness by gently allowing your attention to flow toward whatever naturally arises in the present moment. That may be sounds, sensations, thoughts, or emotions-- or perhaps all of these. You will be invited to welcome all experiences with an expansive, receptive, and non-judgmental attitude, noticing each one as it surfaces in your awareness and then letting it go. There is no need to focus or plan—simply sit with a mindful presence.

Image is based on a photograph by Billion Images via CanvaPro

Transcript

Welcome to this opening awareness meditation.

Begin by settling in to a comfortable seated position,

Taking your time to feel where your body touches the chair or the cushion and finding yourself anchored in this space,

In this moment.

Now turn your attention to the breath,

Simply breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth if that's comfortable.

Think of each breath as a new opportunity to become fully present in this moment.

And as you're ready,

Let go of the focus on your breath.

Simply allow your attention to float from one moment to the next.

You might find your attention going from your thoughts to the sounds in the room to physical sensations or even emotions.

It doesn't matter where your attention goes,

Just let it wander,

Allowing your senses to lead you.

Begin to see sensation not as a distraction,

But rather as an opportunity for exploration.

Stay curious,

If something seems pressing,

Allow your attention to linger there until another sense guides you in a new direction.

Simply repeat the process,

Staying with whatever is going on and riding this current of awareness as it naturally shifts.

When you feel your mind wandering,

Simply bring it back to the object of your attention,

Which for now is whichever sense is capturing your attention the most.

You might find both positive and negative experiences,

It's okay to stay with them without judgment,

Just noticing and observing.

If something feels uncomfortable or overwhelming,

Return to the breath and re-anchor yourself in the present moment.

Now simply begin the process of returning to the breath.

Slowly and steadily,

Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.

As you're ready,

Allow your eyes to gently flutter open,

Returning to your space.