Finding your way into an upright or reclined position on the floor,
The couch,
Or in a chair,
Wherever you can feel most comfortable.
Supporting yourself so that you can feel relaxed and awake for your practice.
Breathing in,
Closing down the eyes.
Allowing the body to yield to the floor,
The couch,
Or the chair.
Inviting a sense of softening into the body.
Breathing in to the natural rhythm of the inhale and exhale through the nose.
There's no need to change the breath in any way.
Find that effortless,
Automatic inhale and exhale.
Feel the breath moving through the body.
Feel the body expand on the inhalation and contract on the exhalation.
As you inhale,
Feel the belly and the chest rise.
As you exhale,
Feel the chest descend and the belly draw down.
During your practice,
You'll drift your attention to thoughts and emotions.
The mind likes to plan and analyze,
Spending time thinking about the past or the future.
Simply notice where you are and without judging yourself or the thoughts.
Tune in to observing the thoughts,
Watching them come and go,
Just like the breath.
Listening to what is arising in the mind.
Watching the thoughts move in,
Now move out.
A constant flow of thoughts coming and going.
Imagine that you are sitting on a bench and the thoughts are like watching strangers on the street walking by.
They may slowly stroll in or simply appear out of nowhere.
They either fade off into the distance or turn the corner and they have disappeared.
Watching the thoughts like strangers passing by,
Drifting in and out of the mind.
Cultivating the observer within.
Being curious about the thoughts and watching them from a neutral space.
Without any judgment,
Observing the thoughts coming and going.
And now feeling into the points of contact where the body meets the floor or the surface you are resting on,
Bringing a sense of curiosity to the sensations in these places.
How does it feel?
Sensations of heaviness or lightness.
It may feel firm in some places or softer in others.
Sensing into pressure or tingling.
Or perhaps no noticeable sensations at all.
Witnessing the sensations moment to moment.
Observing how your attention shifts from the body to the mind to the breath.
A constant ebb and flow as you watch all that is moving through you.
Observing how sounds are also moving in and moving out of your awareness.
A sound may suddenly arrive or it may come in slowly.
It may fade off into the distance or just stop.
Noticing how sounds come and go just like the strangers on the street.
Observing.
Witnessing how emotions rise and fall just like the breath.
Turn toward what is arising.
See if you can open to the emotions as you watch them move in and move out.
The mind likes to judge labeling emotions as good or bad.
Notice when you find yourself doing this and try to observe with neutral awareness as best you can.
Slowly witness the emotions as you feel into them.
Observing all that is arising.
Thoughts,
Sensations,
Emotions,
Sounds moving in and moving out just like the strangers on the street coming and going.
Hearing the sound of the bell to bring you back to the space.
When you're ready,
Slowly opening your eyes.
Thank you for practicing.
