MBSR - Sitting Mindfully

This is a Sitting Mindfulness Meditation for MBSR of Children's Mercy team members. Children's Mercy Hospital is the primary location for Children's Mercy Kansas City, a comprehensive pediatric health system with multiple locations in Missouri and Kansas.

Transcript

Welcome to this opportunity to sit mindfully.

This is probably one of the few times that we get to sit and just be.

So I invite you to find a space where you will be comfortable yet alert.

That may be seated in a chair or seated on a cushion on the floor.

Allow yourself to get into this space in a posture that allows for awakeness and alertness.

And when seated,

If in a chair,

Allow the feet to be flat on the floor,

The arms supported by the armrests or gently supported by the thighs with the palms facing upward.

And if seated on the floor in a similar fashion with the palms of the hands upward.

And if it's comfortable,

Allowing the eyes to close or cast them downward in a soft gaze,

Not really focusing on anything in particular.

Taking a moment to be aware of sitting,

Of being supported by the chair,

Being supported by the ground,

Noticing the effect of gravity on the body and the weightfulness being supported by the chair or the ground.

And shifting the awareness to any sounds in the space.

They may be from within the room you're in or from outside of the room.

Noticing each sound,

Allowing them to be exactly as they are and noting them as sounds without allowing the thoughts to get carried away.

Then shifting the awareness to any bodily sensations,

Maybe some discomfort or tingling in the body,

Maybe a sense of heightened energy when the body slows down.

Noticing these as bodily sensations without ascribing any meaning or any criticism,

Allowing each one to be as it is.

And if there's a sense of contentment and calm,

Allowing that to be exactly as it is.

Noting each as bodily sensations without attaching any judgment.

And then shifting the awareness to the breath,

Noticing the natural rhythm and cadence of the breath in this moment,

Allowing the rhythm to be exactly as it is without trying to change it.

Paying particular attention to the cool air entering the nostrils on the in-breath,

Following the breath all the way through the airway and down into the abdomen,

Noticing the distention of the abdomen with each in-breath before following the breath out through the nostrils and noticing the warmer air exiting the nostrils,

Continuing to follow each breath that enters and exits the body.

Each one may seem familiar,

But each one is unique and has never been experienced before.

Often when the body slows down,

The mind begins to speed up and wander.

Maybe paying attention to past events or future concerns and noting each one as a thought and bringing the awareness back to the breath,

Which is a present moment experience.

There may be a tendency to lean forward and meet the next breath.

Allow each breath to come naturally.

On each inhalation,

Paying attention to the posture of the body,

Being mindful to sit upright.

The body's posture allows the breath to enter more fully and to exit completely.

If there's an awareness of any agitation or sensations in the body from being in a seated posture,

Be aware of those sensations.

Take a moment to allow it to be as it is.

Maybe direct the breath down to that area of the body to breathe some softness into the sensation.

And if the discomfort is too much,

Taking a moment to shift the body and bringing the awareness back to the breath.

When there's an awareness that the attention has wandered off from the breath,

That is the practice of mindfulness,

Acknowledging the distraction being a thought or sensation or a sound,

And gently but firmly bringing the awareness back to the breath.

The body breathes all day without very much awareness of its activity.

Taking this moment now to revel in the amazement of this body,

Being aware of the ability of this body to sustain its own breath without any effort of thought whatsoever.

The thoughts will arise and allow each thought just to pass along like clouds in the sky,

Noticing each one without getting attached or clinging.

Allow those thoughts to drift away before bringing the awareness back to the breath,

Taking notice of how the rate,

The cadence of the breath has changed since first sitting down,

Allowing any contentment,

Any calm of the rate to be as it is without any judgment or criticism.

Being present with the body with what is found here in the moment.

It's already here.

Accepting in the moment,

Being,

Being present with the breath,

Accepting the gift of this breath.

And if you become aware of any tendency to fall asleep,

Gently opening the eyes in a soft gaze to bring the awareness to alertness to the breath,

Allowing the awareness to be in this present moment experience,

Noticing if there's any hesitation to allow the breath to be in its natural rhythm and cadence,

Noticing if the breath descends all the way down to the abdomen and accepting whatever is noticed,

Accepting this breath to be as it is in this body,

Allowing the breath to be received by this body,

Allowing each breath to nurture the body,

Bring awareness to how the breath gives life to this body.

And when any distracting sounds,

Thoughts,

Emotions,

Or bodily sensations are noticed,

Label each one sound,

Thought,

Sensation,

And allowing them to evaporate and dissolve in the awareness and bringing the awareness back to the breath.

And when we are aware of a distraction,

Minimizing the thoughts or story that we create about it,

And quickly and firmly bringing the awareness back to the breath,

This present moment experience,

Allowing the awareness to be with the full cycle of each breath,

Noticing the inhalation traveling down the airway to the abdomen,

Noticing the abdomen descend before the breath exits the body,

Again through the nostrils.

Often very little effort is needed by the body for each breath.

Noticing how the body receives the breath imparts relaxation,

Nurturing.

If any sensations in the body arise,

Directing the breath to that area of the body.

Notice if the body can receive any comfort from the breath.

And if the discomfort continues,

Shifting the awareness back to the breath,

Away from the sensation which may be distracting,

Allowing the awareness to be with the breath.

Taking a moment now to bring the awareness to the body.

And any sensations found,

Paying particular attention to being seated in the chair or the cushion,

And the weight of the body being supported by the chair and the cushion.

Noticing the arms and the hands and how they're supported by the chair or the body.

Any temperature sensations,

Heat or coolness.

And if seated in a chair,

Noticing the feet supported by the ground,

Bringing the awareness to the neck and head being supported by the muscles and the bones of the body,

And the upright posture,

Paying attention to any tension in the jaw,

Or notice if the jaw is relaxed.

Taking a moment to scan the body for whatever sensations are present,

Breathing,

Bringing the awareness back to the breath.

Shifting the awareness now to any sounds in the space,

Any sounds coming from the body,

Any sounds coming from within the room.

Noticing any sounds from outside of the space,

Allowing each sound to be just as it is,

Just noting each one as sound,

And gently bringing the awareness back to the breath.

And when you're ready,

Gently opening the eyes,

Taking a moment to notice any shapes in the room,

Taking a moment to notice any colors that are present within the field of vision,

Allowing what is noticed to be as it is,

Shape or color,

And bringing the awareness back to the breath,

Breathing in the awareness of the space.

It may be a familiar space,

Taking a moment to experience it new,

Taking this opportunity to be aware in the present moment and carry this experience with you throughout your day.

I invite you to take this practice into your day,

Practice experiencing each pleasant,

Unpleasant,

And neutral experiences that make up your day.

Let none of those experiences be lost.

Each one is a gift in the present moment.

I wish you well.