One Minute Practice Of Presence

A drop makes an ocean. A step makes a journey. A breath makes a life. A moment can make space for presence. In this practice we begin the process of letting a minute build a habit that can become a constant support, an ever-available anchor and a reliable source in times of need. This practice can be the beginning of your long-term relationship with the present. Music credit to Daria and thanks to Quiet Phase.

Transcript

Welcome. Today we will try one minute practice of presence together. This practice helps your mind to gradually build the habit of returning to the center amidst the chaos of our days. It is a simple exercise that starts you off on the path of strengthening your mental muscle for meditation. You may close your eyes now, If not lower your gaze or simply soften your focus. Let your posture be supported rather than stiff. Notice the points where your body meets the chair or the floor. There is nothing special you need to create. Allow the breath to be exactly as it is, Deep or shallow, Smooth or uneven. Now, Gently notice one in-breath. Notice the small pause. If there is one, Then notice the out-breath. But you might silently say breathing in and breathing out. If a thought appears, Acknowledge it without judgment. Then guide your attention back to the next breath. Again, Breathing in and breathing now. Did your face soften? Let the shoulder release whatever they can. There is nowhere else you need to be for this one minute. When you are ready, Lower your attention to widen again. Notice the room around you and the sounds that are present. Perhaps you feel calmer. Perhaps you feel exactly as you did before. Both are completely acceptable. Meditation is not a test that must produce a particular feeling. The value is in nothing what it is here and meeting it with a little more patience. You may also notice that the breath is more than an anchor. It is a quiet reminder of change. Long breath can be held forever. Each inhalation arrives, Stays briefly and leaves. Thoughts, Sensations and emotions move in much the same way. A difficult feeling can seem permanent while we are inside it, Yet if we stay present, We begin to notice movement. Intensity rises, Shifts and eventually softens. The breath does not ask us to deny what is difficult. It shows us how to remain present while difficulty changes. You can begin with one minute while your tea is brewing, Before opening your laptop, After parking the car, Or as you settle into bed. There is no perfect method and no perfect place. Simply notice that you are breathing. When the mind wanders and it will return gently then slowly and gently Returning matters more than holding the perfect attention. With practice, A minute may become two, And a brief pause may become a familiar refuge. For me, Meditation has not been about escaping life. It has been about arriving for it. So the next time your thoughts begin to raise, Remember, You do not have to follow everyone of them. You can come back one breath at a time and perhaps in that small return you will find a little more space, A little more ease, A little more trust in your ability to miss the moment as it is. Thank you for joining in with me for this practice today. Wish you a wonderful and a calm day ahead.