Steadiness Of Mind Meditation

The doorway to steadiness will be Prana – the energy matrix that supports our physical body, from the inside. Prana is the vibration of sensation. It is tingliness, warmth, the feeling of groundedness, the movement of our breath.

Steadiness of Mind is an essential first step on the road to Mindful Awareness.

Transcript

Welcome to the practice of steadiness of mind. Cultivating concentration and focus is an essential first step on the road to mindful awareness. The doorway to steadiness will be feeling into prana, The energy matrix that supports our physical body from the inside. Prana is the vibration of sensation. It is tingliness, Warmth, The feeling of groundedness, The movement of our breath. It is important to choose an easy place to rest awareness that is welcoming and available. A feeling we can return to when the mind wanders into autopilot habits of worrying and remembering. This prana portal may change and transform as we practice. Trust in the process is an essential attitude. And of course kindness and patience. You may choose to include a simple hand gesture called a mudra for this meditation. Prana is always present in our bodies and mudras help awaken that energy. One of my favorite grounding mudras is called pranayam pranakriya mudra. To form this hand gesture simply curl the tip of the index finger on each hand into the base of the thumb. Extending gently through the middle, Ring and little fingers. Resting the back of the hands in a comfortable position that supports your meditation posture. This single-handed gesture stabilizes body and mind increasing apana vayu or the current of energy that runs down through the pelvic bowl, Legs and feet. It is the energy of gravity grounded and settled. And if at any time the mudra feels uncomfortable or the hands fatigue, Simply releasing the gesture and repositioning the hands, Returning to the meditation as we feel ready. So coming into an awake, Alert and mindful posture as we begin the steadiness of mind meditation. Taking a moment to notice what it feels like to sit here today, Feeling into the room around us where we are practicing, The sounds outside the window, Inside the room and perhaps even noticing the sounds within our own body. Beginning now to draw our awareness away from the distractions of the outside world and inviting awareness to rest in our inner experience. Connecting to the life force that animates our physical body that we call prana. Prana can only be known through the vibration of sensation, Stretching, Hardness, Softness, Tingliness, Wiggliness, Heaviness or lightness, Warmth or coolness, The brush of the breath, The groundedness of the earth. What sensations are already present as we tune in and listen? Giving ourselves space to land graciously and gracefully in the now, In the experience of the subtle body. If we've chosen to include our mudra, Bringing awareness to the hands and connecting to our gesture of stability. Index finger curled into the base of the thumb on the right hand and on the left. This single-handed gesture supports stability of mind and heart. Set in the hands and reflected in the energy of the body via the prana portal. Allowing awareness to rest in the foundation of the body, Grounding down into the feet, The legs, The pelvis resting in the chair or grounded on the earth. Feeling into the torso and whole body now, Noticing how our mindful posture feels today. Any areas of tension? What happens if we notice the tension in the shoulders or the jaw? Does it change, Soften, Open? Perhaps dropping into the sensation of the breath now in the easiest place to land. Where is the breath most available to us today? Deep in the belly, In the movement of the chest, Or perhaps at the level of the nostrils. Feeling the breath entering and exiting, Coming and going. Tuning into the feeling of the breath and again noticing how our kind of tension affects the feeling of breathing. Prana moving deep within us. And knowing that if the breath isn't feeling comfortable right now, We can return to the grounded feeling of prana in our foundation or simply open the eyes and ground our soft gaze on the earth. And now that we've settled into our meditation, Opening to set our anchor or refuge, A safe place in the now, Grounded in our senses and present moment awareness. A place we can return to easily as we cultivate steadiness of body, Mind and heart. It may be the feeling of the feet on the earth or the hands in our stabilizing mudra. For others it is the gentle oscillation of the breath, Prana flowing in and swimming out that feels most available. For some an external anchor like the sounds around us or a soft gaze gently grounded on the earth is centering. So spending a few moments here to settle into a welcoming place to land in the present. Returning to the felt sense of prana in our feet, Our breath, The sounds or a gaze. As we connect with prana, Noticing how prana connects with us too, Cradling us gently in the now. And when we feel ready opening to a willingness to notice as we sit, The parade of thoughts moving just under the surface of our meditation. Turning toward the realm of thought in much the same way we turn toward the breath or the body. What thoughts are moving through the mind today and what does it feel like to simply notice them with kind attention? Do they change, Shift? What would it be like to simply allow them to move on, To flow by without pushing them away or engaging them like clouds in the sky or leaves on a stream? The mind is always thinking. We have over 60, 000 thoughts each day, Most of them occurring on autopilot when we're stuck in doing and hurrying and worrying. Observing what happens if we notice our thoughts and cultivate a willingness to let them float by, Choosing instead to return to our prana portal or refuge in the now, The feeling of groundedness in the feet, The vibration of movement in the breath, Allowing the coming and going, The noticing and returning to be part of our meditation today. Flexing our muscle of attention back to our anchor whenever we find we have drifted away into thinking and planning. Trusting a willingness to notice when the mind has wandered, As well as a willingness to return patiently and kindly back to the present in the most available and welcoming place to land. Trusting that each time we flex our muscle of attention, Our ability to focus and concentrate in the now becomes stronger. Using an attitude of non-judgment as we wander and return, An attitude of patience and compassion and non-striving that allows the wandering and the returning to be part of the meditation. Creating a sense of comfort with our prana portal, The feeling of steadiness in the body, The movement of the breath, The sounds around us, A hand on our heart, Or a gesture of stability. Tuning in with curiosity and trusting the practice of mindfulness to shift the paradigm of our survival mode into a mode of good self-care as we cultivate a sense of calm presence, A willingness to accept ourselves and our wandering as an act of kindness. And when we feel ready, Perhaps shifting our intention from doing to being, Focusing more on the feeling of steadiness that's already present. In this part of the meditation, We bring in an attitude of confidence, Visualizing someone who is stable and steady in mind and heart, And feeling these qualities in our own experience. What does it feel like to be steady in mind and heart, And where do we feel the sensations and vibrations of steadiness? A warmth in the chest, A groundedness in the feet, Maybe an openness across the back of the body, Or a settledness in the breath. This awareness is prana and feels more like being with what's already happening. Instead of the struggle, We feel like we're being carried along, Riding the feeling of steadiness that is already present. It's natural for this feeling to come and go, To fade away and transform. So when we notice the mind is wandering, Perhaps returning to the feeling of steadiness again, Guiding the wave of steadiness for a while, Or if the feeling of steadiness isn't readily available, Knowing we can return to our prana portal or refuge in the now. The feeling of the feet on the earth, A soft gaze, Our mudra of stability, Redirecting awareness to the easiest place to land in the present until we wander again. Perhaps allowing these two kinds of intention to mingle together, Combining the effort of doing with the feeling of being, Creates a more relaxed resolve that creates resilience we can tap into when life becomes challenging. Drawing on the fact that the brain is an organ of habit and what it does often and becomes familiar with becomes easier to access. Remembering that mindfulness isn't about being any certain way or doing it right. Mindfulness is a state of active open attention in the present, Non-judgmental awareness of awareness, A way of checking in compassionately and creating habits that support steadiness of mind, Feeling into the feeling of steadiness, Feeling its vibration and riding the wave without judgment or comment as best we can. Thank you. Thank you. Releasing awareness into the feeling of the whole body and the room around us, Noticing sounds within the room and perhaps outside of the room. If the eyes were closed, Softly opening the gaze toward the earth, Aware of the textures and images present around us. Taking our meditation gradually without hurrying or worrying in any way, Allowing the breath to breathe us back into the room as we bring this meditation toward its close. Just mindfully rolling the shoulders or stretching the neck, Wiggling the fingers and toes, Finding gentle mindful movement that feels supportive and nourishing. The meditation of steadiness of mind is now complete.