Relaxing Back into Presence

This practice brings attention to the continuous space within and around the body, and the aliveness of sound, sensation and feeling that lives through us. While it’s natural for attention to get distracted, the pathway home is a relaxing back into the awake space that is aware of this changing life.

Transcript

The following meditation is led by Tara Brach.

And the quietness allowed the attention to begin to scan through the body,

Becoming aware of the aliveness that's here.

You might bring the attention to the region of the eyes and just soften the eyes a little.

Let the brow be smooth.

Become aware of whatever tingling or vibrating,

Maybe flickering light at the lids.

Letting whatever is here be just as it is.

Be aware of the mouth.

You might let there be a slight smile at the mouth.

Maybe the inside of the mouth you might sense a smile.

Letting the tongue fill the palate.

And see if you can relax right down to the root of the tongue,

Becoming aware of the sensations and aliveness that fill the mouth.

Allow the shoulders to gently fall away from the neck.

Let the awareness fill the shoulders,

So you can feel them from the inside out.

You might imagine a melting sensation.

Ice melting to water.

Intimately feeling the sensation inside the shoulders.

Ice to water.

Water to gas.

See if you can sense a space that fills the shoulders and the aliveness,

The movement of energy.

If there continues to be any sort of knottedness or tension,

See if you can let it float in awareness.

Allow the hands to rest in an easy and effortless way.

And softening the hands now.

Consciously softening the hands.

And then feel from the inside out in a very receptive way noticing the aliveness.

Maybe it feels like pulsing or tingling,

Vibrating,

Warm.

Notice if you soften more,

How much more you can feel.

And just as a cup is filled with water,

This whole body is filled with aliveness,

With awareness.

Let there be an openness to the chest.

You might feel the breath at the heart and directly feel the sensations there,

The feelings of moving energy – flow or squeeze,

Density or lightness,

Numbness,

Fuzzy,

Pointed,

Flows of energy,

Movement of aliveness in the area of the heart.

Sense the space that fills the heart.

Perhaps you can imagine just the way the space and the nucleus of an atom is so vast and the sub-atomic particles just leap out of nothingness and back into that space.

But sensation is doing the same thing.

There is space inside the heart and sensations and aliveness appearing,

Dissolving.

And as you scan downward you might let this next breath be received in a softening belly,

This breath.

And now this one.

And again.

Letting the awareness fill the belly,

Imagining and sensing the space that is there,

The aliveness,

The sensation,

Disappearing,

Disappearing.

Continuing to scan down the torso,

Letting the awareness fill the pelvic region,

Again sensing the space that is there.

And the whole play of liveness springing forth,

Moving,

Dissolving.

Feeling the awareness inside the legs might help to sense the length and the volume of your legs.

The movement of energy,

Of sensation,

Right down into the feet,

Aware of where your feet contact the floor,

Sense of pressure,

Warmth,

Filling the feet with awareness,

Sensing the space and the aliveness inside the feet.

Aware of your contact with the earth and imagining and sensing downward in an infinite way,

There is energy flowing from the earth body into you.

You are part of the earth body filled with awareness and aliveness.

You might visualize and sense outward imagining to either side,

Outward to the furthest stars,

Imagining the space that extends beyond the furthest stars.

And imagining the space that extends in front of you beyond the furthest stars.

And the space that extends behind you beyond the furthest stars.

And above you,

Infinitely out,

Beyond the furthest stars.

And below you,

Beyond the furthest stars.

Sensing that that vastness of space is continuous with inner space,

It is continuous space infused with awareness and aliveness.

Resting in and being that awake space.

Aware of the changing play of sensation.

Aware of the appearing and disappearing of sounds.

Aware of the Open awareness,

Listening to and feeling this changing dance of life.

It's natural that the attention gets distracted into thoughts.

When you become aware of that,

Relax back,

Listening again to the sounds that are around you.

Feeling the aliveness,

The vibration,

The sensations that are moving through.

Letting life live through you.

Open awareness,

Listening to and feeling this moment-to-moment experience.

It's natural that the attention gets distracted into thoughts.

It's natural that the attention gets distracted into thoughts.

It's natural that the attention gets distracted into thoughts.

It's natural that the attention gets distracted into thoughts.

Now bringing this open awareness to the region of the heart.

Sensing how open awareness receives and perceives the heart right this moment.

Aware of a field of perhaps tenderness.

And sensing from this awareness whatever wish or blessing you might want to offer to your own life right now.

Whatever prayer you have for yourself.

Just mentally whispering it in the silence.

And sensing the edgelessness of this heart-space,

A space that includes all beings,

Closing by offering your prayer or blessing to all beings.

May all beings everywhere be filled with loving presence,

Held in loving presence.

May all beings everywhere touch a great and natural peace.

May all beings know the natural joy of aliveness.

May all beings everywhere awaken and be free.

Namaste.

Reviews

Nicely paced, enlightening and gentle thank you 🙏

Always great with Tara! 👍😊

Tara Brach is simply the best for dharma talks and guided meditations. In addition to wisdom and rare insights, she offers a soothing voice and calming spirit.

Thank you Tara, I was feeling very anxious this morning; this was extremely calming and has helped me get re-centred. 🙏

I love this meditation, thank you Tara and namaste ❤️

Namaste 🙏🏼

By far my favorite meditation teacher. Thank you, Tara. May all beings everywhere be peaceful and free.

Excellent thank you yet again for a wonderful meditation

It’s amazing. I felt relaxing and peaceful. Thank you so much.❤️

I love Tara's work. I always leave grounded and spacious. Thank you

Amazing! I can feel that I am that loving presence, so calming, so compassionate. Thank you!

I could listen to Tara Brach all day! She just brings you back to presence. Thank you. Namaste

Another blissfully peaceful meditation, thank you Tara

Namaste Tara!! Justly love the Presence and Peace when you lead me in Meditation. Thank you!!

Very soothing and relaxing. Thank You

What a wonderful all-embracing experience. Thank you, Namaste.

Thank you Tara. You totally rock. Awesome x

Healing and restorative to my soul. Thank you.

Beyond the furtherance star. Gracias!

Another beautiful and loving guided meditation. Thank you so much Tara.