Today I'm going to share with you a sweet and nourishing practice designed to help you establish body awareness as your mindfulness anchor.
Because it's always possible to turn our attention to the experience of the body in any situation,
Establishing a mindfulness of the body practice can support a continuity of awareness that makes a mindful way of being more possible.
No matter what we're doing,
Working at a desk,
Chatting with a dear friend,
Having a heated discussion,
Or relaxing,
We can always bring our attention to the body.
This helps us to establish a sense of here.
Right now I have a body.
And with mindfulness we can establish our presence in the moving target we call now.
You'll find a seated posture more conducive to this particular practice.
In fact,
You may find sitting on the edge of your chair with your feet planted on the floor most accessible.
But you're also welcome to sit on a meditation cushion if that's relaxing for you.
Take a moment to get settled.
Roll your head a few times and then your shoulders a few times.
This releases accumulated tension in your neck and shoulders.
Now open your mouth wide and then scrunch up your face.
This can help release facial tension.
And now take a moment to see if you need to do anything else before we begin.
There's our balloon mapping and our Sonia scored so well.
Start by noticing the points of contact that your body is making with your chair or cushion.
And also notice your feet touching the floor or your legs touching the surface that you're sitting on.
Notice any other surfaces touching your skin.
Notice any other surfaces touching your skin.
Become aware of the pull of gravity gently drawing you down toward the earth.
And then start to notice sensations in the soft tissues of your body,
The muscles,
Ligaments,
Tendons,
Organs.
You might feel that some areas feel sore or tender.
Other areas feel quiet,
Relaxed.
Try to hold your experience with open-minded curiosity,
Free of judgment or evaluation.
Just aware of the suchness of how your body feels.
Now pour your awareness into your body as if filling a vessel with water,
Detecting all areas of your body,
Even the forgotten nooks and crannies.
Now notice the sensation of breathing,
Particularly the way the whole body responds to the intake and release of air.
Even though the breath occurs in the lungs with the support of particular muscles in the torso,
This ever-present movement creates a steady rhythm in the body,
Particularly along the spine.
Turn your attention to the way in which the breath gently moves the spine.
Perhaps you feel a little taller when you breathe in and more settled when you breathe out.
You might think of this movement like seagrass swaying in a gentle lagoon.
Stay here a little longer,
Present and aware of the expression of the whole body as you breathe.
You you you you you you you
