Sitting with a sense of dignity and integrity,
A lifted spine,
A soft belly,
A quiet mind.
Once you find a position with the feet flat on the floor,
The spine lifted,
Begin to follow the breath as it passes through the nostrils.
Today we'll work with a different object for meditation.
This time I'll ask you to use a word or a short prayer,
A phrase or even a mantra.
Something that feels both uplifting and something that you're very fond of.
Repeating this word or prayer over and over again internally without uttering a sound,
Without moving the lips,
As if to repeat it in the center of the mind.
If you catch yourself wandering or drifting,
Come back to breath and back to this word or prayer,
Phrase or mantra that you've chosen.
Again,
When the mind wanders or drifts,
Just notice mindfully attending one part of your awareness,
Observing from a detached point of view whatever arises in the mind.
One part of your attention always rested and focused on your word or prayer,
Phrase or mantra.
Sitting quietly inside of yourself,
Letting the mind rest.
When it wanders,
Notice and return.
No labels,
No judgments.
If you catch the mind wandering,
Pause for a moment.
Notice where it goes.
Do you find yourself lost in thoughts of the past,
Ruminating about the future,
Lingering in bodily sensations?
Notice the tendencies of your own mind.
And again,
Without any judgments,
Come back.
Thank you.
Where is the mind?
Where is breath?
With the next exhalation breath,
Let the gaze of the eyes fall open and downward in a 50-50 gaze,
50% of your awareness still lingering in your interior world,
50% of your awareness gently opening to the exterior world.
Begin to draw the palms together at the center of the chest or covering the heart with both hands.
For a moment,
Breathing as if your own heart could breathe,
Feeling a sense of connection with your own heart.
As you release the hands away from the heart,
Releasing a wish for peace out into the world and sending healing to anyone you know who may be suffering,
Anyone you know who may be in need of healing.
You can send it to as many people as you can imagine,
Sending it from your heart to their heart,
Sending it with a wish for peace and healing.
And as you draw the hands back to the heart,
Resting them there,
May there be peace in your body,
Peace in your mind,
Peace in your heart and peace in your life.
And may all beings know peace,
Peace,
Peace and only peace.
