MIDL 24/36: Insight Meditation: Softening Into Stillness

In this meditation, Stephen Procter will guide you in the insight meditation skill of using slow relaxing breathing to develop the experience of stillness in your body and mind. Stillness is the experience of samadhi that is developed by observing and relaxing the effort in your mind and body. Training your mind to let go in this way lowers the experience of stress and anxiety, and at a deeper insight level develops a tendency for your mind to let go in all aspects of your life. Support articles and instructions for this guided meditation can be found in the Free Online MIDL Insight Meditation Course by checking Stephens Procter's teacher profile.

Transcript

And during this mindfulness training,

We'll be using the M.

I.

D.

O.

Softening skill as a doorway to develop stillness.

You just start out by taking your meditation posture.

And closing your eyes over lightly,

Start to be aware of what it feels like,

Just to be here.

Now,

I'd like you to place your fingers just below your belly button,

Placing one hand on either side of your belly,

Fingers nearly touching each other in the middle.

We're going to do some slow,

Gentle belly breathing.

It's important to take these breaths slowly and gently to experience the benefit.

Now slowly raise your lower abdominal muscles outwards,

Away from your body to draw the breath in.

And slowly lower them back again,

Relaxing with the out-breath.

Slowly raise your lower abdominal muscles outwards,

Away from your body to draw the breath in.

And slowly lower them back down again,

Relaxing with the out-breath.

In,

Out,

Relax.

In,

Out,

Relax.

In,

Out,

Relax.

Now,

Mindfully bring your hands back,

Resting comfortably on your body.

And we're going to slowly relax through our body for stillness.

And gently bringing awareness to your face.

And just noticing any tension that you can feel there.

And taking slow,

Gentle breaths,

Just allow.

Allowing your forehead to relax.

And their relaxation coming to your forehead.

Allow the relaxation to flow down into your eyelids,

Your eyes.

Allowing your eyelids to droop,

To become heavy.

Now slightly open your eyes again.

And allow them to droop,

To relax.

Opening slightly.

Drooping becoming heavy.

Open.

Droop,

Relax.

So heavy.

So relaxed.

Relax.

Next one.

Allow the relaxation to flow down into your cheeks,

Your jaw.

Open your jaw slightly.

Feel the relaxation coming to the whole of your face.

Feel so relaxed,

Easy.

Allowing your body to relax.

Allowing your breath to relax.

Allowing your breath to relax.

Your body and your breath fully deflate with each out-breath.

Starting to become aware of the heaviness as it comes into your body.

As you relax for your body,

It becomes heavy.

The heaviness comes into your head and your shoulders.

Your body and your shoulders.

Feeling it flowing down your arms to your hands,

Your fingers.

Moving down through your body into your hips,

Your legs and your feet.

With each out-breath,

Your body becomes heavier,

So heavy.

Allowing your body to relax.

Allowing your breath to relax.

Allowing your breath to relax.

Becoming aware of the gentleness of that natural breath.

Allowing your breath to relax.

Allowing your breath to relax.

Allowing the natural breath to draw you deeper.

Allowing the heaviness of your body to grow with each out-breath.

Allowing your breath to relax.

Breath goes out,

You sink.

Sinking.

So calm.

So calm.

At this stage you don't have to do anything at all.

Just allow.

So still.

So still.

So still.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

So relaxed.

And when you're ready,

You can gently open your eyes.

Thank you for spending this time meditating with me.

Take care of yourself and have a wonderful day.

And goodbye.

Reviews

Thank you so much for the eyelid opening and drooping technique! Oh my goodness it helps my facial pain so much and I can feel release all the way down my spine. I will use this often

One of my favourites

Thank you sir 🌻💛☯️🧘🏽‍♀️

Wonderful 🙏
This truly allowed me to soften into a deep meditation. Stephen's MIDL is a gift

I've used this guided meditation more than any other. 30 minutes is long for me, but I keep coming back to it anyhow, because it seems to alleviate stress and racing thoughts for me, better than anything else I've tried so far. Thank You 🙂🙏

Thank you for another great meditation. Thank you for this course!

Very good. True stillness. I will keep practicing this as it is not something you master in one go.

Such a lovely meditation, I really appreciated the moments of stillness and silence. Stephen is a great teacher. Thank you.

So lovely, very centering. Soft breath, softening body. I was surprised how fast the time went by. Thank you Stephen for your wonderful guidance. ☮️💖🙏

Calming and settling within the body. very effective to calm the mind. Thank you Stephen.

Stillness accomplished. Tank you Stephen.

Thank you 💙 🙏💙