In this meditation,
We will practice using sounds as an anchor to the present moment.
So starting by getting in a comfortable position with both feet on the floor,
You can sit up straight or lean back against the back of a chair,
And you can place your hands palms up comfortably in your lap,
And you can close your eyes or leave them a little bit open to let light in with your gaze down.
And starting by turning your attention to your breath,
You don't need to alter your breath at all,
Just becoming the observer with an attitude of curiosity and openness and awareness.
Remembering your breath is always here,
It's always available as a way to connect to the present moment.
Even your mind may wander many times and that's okay.
Each time you notice your mind wandering,
You can tell yourself,
This is just a thought,
I don't have to keep following this thought,
And you can return your attention to your breathing.
Now shifting your anchor from your breath to the sounds around you,
Just notice the sounds that are here right now.
Noticing you can always use your five senses as an anchor to the present moment.
Noticing you can only hear sounds in the present,
You can't hear sounds in the past or the future,
Making the sounds around you a perfect gateway to come into a loving,
Accepting awareness of the present as it is right here,
Right now.
And your mind may wander many,
Many times and that's okay.
Each time you notice your mind has wandered,
You can simply remind yourself,
This is just a thought,
I don't have to keep following this thought,
And you can return your attention to just being receptive to the sounds around you,
Letting them come and go and pass by.
And you may notice a tendency to like or dislike certain sounds.
You can simply notice the feeling or thoughts of liking or disliking and let those thoughts come and go.
Practicing bringing an attitude of openness and acceptance for the present moment as it is right here,
Right now,
Without needing to change it.
And anytime your mind wanders,
Again remembering you can always use the sounds around you to return to this new present moment,
Always unfolding,
Always changing,
Simply letting the sounds come and go and pass by like a wave.
And you may notice a tendency to like or dislike certain sounds.
And as we bring our practice to a close for today,
You may reflect on how the sounds will always come and go and change.
We don't have to make them go away or change them,
We can just accept the reality of what is right here,
Right now,
And notice they're impermanence.
Just as the sounds will always come and go and change and move,
Our thoughts will come and go,
Our feelings will come and go,
And situations and other people's reactions will come and go.
We can always use sounds as a way to connect to the calm and the spaciousness that exists in the field of awareness that everything else passes through.
So taking any feeling of calm with you,
You can return your attention to your breath here in this room,
Remembering that throughout your day you can always use sounds as a way to connect to the present moment,
Right here,
Right now,
And noticing your feet on the floor and the chair holding you up and the earth holding up your chair,
You can return your attention to the room and gently open your eyes.
