Let's start by taking a comfortable seat.
Making sure that your back can be straight without being tense or rigid.
Resting your hands on your lap,
Wherever they may naturally fall.
And let's just take a couple of deep breaths,
Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
If you'd like to gently close your eyes,
You can.
Or you can just lower your gaze,
Not looking at anything in particular.
Next let's bring our attention to the sensation of your body sitting.
Feel the contact of your body on your chair.
Notice the weight of your hands on your lap.
The feeling of gravity weighing down your arms.
You may notice thoughts or feelings appear.
When they do,
Just take note of them,
Then return to the object of attention as they fade away.
If it's helpful,
You can label these thoughts or feelings as thinking,
Planning.
Just gently label them while they fade away and return to the sensation of your body sitting.
Let's recognize that in this modern world,
There are a lot of things you could be doing with this time.
You could be playing a game or listening to a podcast,
But you're taking this time for practice.
Next let's bring our attention to the sensation of breathing,
Wherever you feel it most strongly.
It may be at the tip of the nose or in the rising and falling of your abdomen.
As you breathe in,
You may think breathing in or maybe rising.
As you breathe out,
You may think breathing out or falling.
Notice the quality of your breath.
Is it a short breath?
A long breath?
Is your breathing labored or easygoing?
Don't try to control the breath.
Simply be aware that you are breathing.
When you breathe in,
Know that you're breathing in.
And as you breathe out,
Know that you're breathing out.
Next let's bring our attention to sensations in the body.
We'll start with bringing your attention just to the top of your head.
Noticing any sensations you may be aware of.
Maybe you feel a draft or warmth from sunlight.
Maybe contact from headphones you may be wearing.
As soon as you're aware of a sensation,
Just sit with that for a moment and move your attention to your forehead.
Noticing any sensations that may appear.
Any tension.
Contact with air.
Maybe sweat.
Next let's bring your attention to your eyes in the sockets.
Notice the feeling of your eyelashes,
Your eyelids.
Bring your attention to your nose.
Notice the feeling of the air as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
Maybe you're wearing glasses.
You feel the contact of the frame resting on your nose.
And bring your attention to your cheeks.
Noticing any sensations that arise.
Your jaw.
Is it tense?
Relaxed?
And let's bring our attention to the back of our head.
Again noticing any tension.
Without judgment.
Just noticing it.
And bring your attention down to your neck.
Your throat.
Maybe even looking at the inside of your throat.
Does it feel dry?
Do you have moisture,
That you have an urge to swallow?
And if you do feel like you need to swallow,
Just notice the intention and just label it as intending before you take the action.
Relaxed let's bring our awareness to the tops of our shoulders.
In this world where so many of us are spending a lot of time hunched over our laptop or looking at a cell phone.
There may be some tension there.
Maybe notice it without judgment until it fades.
Bring your attention down to your chest.
Noticing the movement as you breathe in and out.
Down to your abdomen.
Your back.
Maybe noticing the contact sensation from your clothing.
And bring your attention to your arms.
Down to your elbows.
Your forearms.
Your hands.
Noticing contact it may be making with your lap.
And let's just bring our attention to our hips.
Again noticing any tension you may feel.
Maybe you spend a lot of time sitting on a chair all day.
Tension in your hips.
And let's just bring our attention to our legs.
In the upper thigh area.
Knees.
Your calves.
Your ankles.
Tops of your feet.
Your toes.
Bottom of your feet.
Notice where your feet may be in contact with the floor.
Is it at the bottom?
The sides?
For this last minute let's just open our awareness to whatever appears without any specific focus of attention.
Again if your thoughts wander simply acknowledge it.
Gently label the thought thinking.
Until the thought fades.
You may want to check your posture.
Make sure you haven't begun to slouch.
And let's just bring our attention back to our breath.
Again as you breathe in just know that you're breathing in.
And as you breathe out know that you are breathing out.
And as we bring our meditation to a close let's recognize that our practice is not only for ourselves.
Traditionally we dedicate the merit of our practice to all beings.
Let's dedicate the merit of our practice today to the benefit of all beings in full measure to each.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be peaceful and at ease.
May all beings be free from suffering.
