Meeting Yourself Where You Are

This is a practice of cultivating a willingness to meet ourselves just where we are. Rather than pushing away our experience, or trying to cling to an experience, mindfulness offers us a way to lean into our experience and learn to work with ourselves rather than on ourselves. By noticing whatever is here with an attitude of kindness and curiousity, we are able to hold ourselves in a compassionate acceptance, despite the experience. Thank you for practicing with me.

Transcript

Hi, My name is Sean and thank you for joining me for this practice on meeting yourself where you are. The practice of mindfulness meditation invites us to have a willingness to be with ourselves as we are. It offers us a way of learning to work with ourselves rather than working on ourselves. This is especially apparent when it comes to things such as working with perfectionism. We can start to notice whatever is happening within us and around us and take an attitude of curiosity and kindness rather than one of resentment or judging or pushing away. So for this practice, We will be exploring what it is to meet yourself where you are. Let's start off by finding yourself into a comfortable position for the practice. Maybe you're seated cross-legged on a cushion on the ground or seated in a chair, Whatever the position is, Allowing yourself to take a dignified posture. Sitting up tall, You can imagine a string tied to the top of your head, Gently pulling you up and elongating your spine, Stacking ears over shoulders and shoulders over hips. Allow these shoulders and shoulder blades to soften down the back, Bringing a slight tuck to your chin and allowing your hands to rest in any comfortable position on your lap. You can leave your eyes softly open, The soft steady gaze about four to six feet in front of you, Or if it's more comfortable for you, You can come to close your eyes. Allow yourself to soften the face, Soften through the jaw, Bringing a sense of softness across the chest and into your belly. Realize that you are here right now, Notice what it feels like to take this time out of your day to stop and sit. Noticing the space of your body, Maybe the weight of your body, Even the space around your body. Noticing the areas of contact between the surface beneath you and your seat bones. Noticing this time in this space, Allowing yourself to welcome yourself to the practice, Even taking a moment to acknowledge your willingness to be here for yourself in this way. And as you slowly start to drop into the space of your practice, Come to notice that you are breathing. There's no need to change or manipulate the breath in any way. You can allow the breath to be just as it is right here, Right now. And perhaps that is long, Deep breaths, Continuous and rhythmic. Either shallow or stuttered. Again, No need to change or manipulate the breath in any way. Slowly follow the breath as it moves in and out of the body. Even with your attention on your breath, Notice where you feel the sensations of your breath. So perhaps you are aware of the air moving in and out at the nostrils across your upper lip. Cool air as you breathe in and warm air as you breathe out. Maybe you feel the sensation of a gentle expansion and contraction of the chest and ribs with every breath. Maybe you feel the rhythmic-like waves of the abdomen rising and sinking with every breath in and every breath out. Whatever area speaks the most to you, Allow your attention to rest on the sensations of the breath as it flows in and out of the body. And as you sit here with your attention on your breath, You may notice that thoughts are rising and falling in your mind. Know that there is no need to block any of the thoughts out. There's no need to try to stop them, Nor is there any need to engage in them. Rather, See if it's possible to allow the thoughts to pass through the mind one by one, Allowing yourself to notice every thought simply as thinking, Letting go of any need to label the thoughts as good or bad or positive or negative. Approaching your thoughts in a very democratic way, Finding a neutral way to be with the thoughts. As thoughts arise, Allowing yourself to notice them with a soft touch, Noticing each thought simply as thinking, Seeing if it is possible to be aware of the thoughts without grasping or clinging onto any one thought, And also without rejecting or denying any particular thought. And if at any time a thought becomes particularly sticky or overwhelming, Know that you can return your attention back to your breath, Back to the sensations of breathing wherever they speak to you the most in the body, Grounding through these sensations, And then opening up slowly back to spaciousness to notice the rising and falling of thoughts. Allowing your attention now to any feelings that may be present in this moment, Continuing to breathe in and breathe out, Acknowledging any feeling just as it is, And like our thoughts, Seeing if we can be aware without grasping or clinging or adding any story through labeling as good or bad or positive or negative. Bringing ourselves space to be okay with any thought that arises, Knowing that all feelings are acceptable. And again, If at any point you find a feeling has become particularly sticky or powerful, You can always return back to your breath, Bringing your attention back to the sensation of breathing and grounding in that sensation of breath. And slowly opening back up to a spaciousness to hold whatever is here right now. Now bring your awareness to the sensations within the body, Noticing any sensations of warmth or coolness, Tingling, Tightness, Maybe there is pulsing or buzzing or numbness or even feelings of relaxation or softness or hunger or fullness. Whatever your experience is, Notice what's happening within the body in this moment and allow whatever is here to be here with an attitude of patience and kindness, Noticing as sensations rise and sensations fall, And allowing yourself to explore these sensations in a curious and non-judgmental way. As you scan through the body, Bringing your attention to sensations within the body, Notice if your posture has shifted and if you'd like, Allow yourself to make any adjustments, Allow yourself to tune into your body just as it is right now. And if you find the sensation in your body has become too intense, Know that you can return your attention back to your breath. Allow yourself to notice the sensations of breathing again, Grounding in these sensations, Staying here until you feel comfortable again to open back up to that spaciousness and place your awareness back into the sensations of body. Now come to bring your attention back to your breath again, Centering your attention only on your breath, Noticing the rise and fall of chest or belly, The movement of air in and out through the nostrils. Following the full cycle of breath for three full breaths, Seeing if you can be as present as possible for each breath, And as you breathe, Know that the space to meet yourself where you are right now is always available to you. As you feel ready, You can allow your eyes to gently open if they were closed, Blinking your eyes open and closed a few times, Maybe taking a few mindful stretches, Taking in your surroundings and slowly re-engaging back into your space and the rest of your day. Term.