So beginning by just tuning into our connection to the earth.
And for a moment as we connect with the earth beneath us that holds us here,
Just tuning into the heart center,
What's present in the heart.
What effect does connecting to the earth have on our heart and on our being?
And then connecting and opening to the space all around us.
Infinite space stretching in all directions and the sounds that arise within that space.
And seeing how that resonates in the heart.
To be deeply rooted on the earth and also rising up into space or open to space across the front of the body if you're laying down.
And then just noticing what thoughts and emotions are hanging around just now.
If there's a part of yourself that wants to be here and maybe there's been a subtle holding out,
Just letting her in.
Letting that part of yourself be here too.
Inviting them to be interested and curious in what might happen.
Discuss.
And then very consciously with all of your being,
With all the energy you have available to you just now without over-efforting,
Turning the awareness,
The light of consciousness onto the breath,
The breathing,
Picking up that thread with the mind.
And sustaining attention there as best you can.
Getting interested in the breath.
Other things might come in,
Sensations,
Thoughts,
Emotions.
The degree to which you can stay with the breath can be a good hint as to how concentrated you are just now.
But if you have gotten caught up in something,
Just very gently with a lot of love,
A lot of interest coming back,
Picking that thread back up,
Redirecting the mind to the breath.
Galvanising energy and interest around the breath.
Namaste.
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So the next in breath,
Just following the breath down into the heart center.
Staying there for a moment.
Noticing any sensations here.
And then from the heart center just beginning to broaden your awareness out to include the whole body breathing.
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It could help to connect with the three diaphragms if that worked for you yesterday.
Also noticing the rising and falling of the belly.
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See if you can feel the breath both deep inside the body and also at the very edges of the felt body.
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It may be that you're becoming aware of pleasant sensations as you sit here breathing.
Maybe there's a tingling or bubbling up of energy or a sense of expansiveness,
Opening.
Even a sensation of light somewhere in the body,
Warmth.
Or even just the satisfaction of breathing.
Whatever it is,
Just directing the mind to those sensations,
However small.
And resting the attention there with interest.
Getting curious about what might happen.
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If there's energy moving in the body you could invite that energy to help unblock any places of tension.
So breathing into any places of tension and holding.
Inviting a release,
An opening.
And it may be as we sit here enjoying even the subtlest pleasant experiences,
Pleasant sensations.
That we can also touch into a deeper sense of joy,
Peace,
Contentment.
Gladness.
Maybe even a sense of that welling up from the very root of us.
Being with however that is.
Letting ourselves have that.
Maybe feeling it in the heart.
An opening there.
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I'm beginning to turn the mind towards itself now.
Just getting curious about the quality of the mind just now.
Noticing if there's a sense of clarity,
Openness,
Sensitivity.
And directing the mind again to an object so it could be the breath or it could be something else.
Just seeing how it is now to stay with it.
In touch with the quality of one pointed concentration,
Absorption around the object.
Fully interested,
Fully present to whatever is there.
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For the last few moments of this period of practice I just invite you to relax.
Any sense of striving,
Any sense of craving,
Wanting.
Relax any effort you're making.
It feels like you could gently open the eyes with a soft focus,
Turn the hands,
Face up on the lap.
You could even lean back in your posture like you're sitting on a beach taking in a beautiful view of the water and the sky.
Completely at ease.
Nothing to do.
Just really letting yourself absorb the benefits of the practice,
Letting them change you.
And also just trusting that even if you think nothing happened,
Just having an intention to sit with the fullness of our experience will have an effect.
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