MC 10 Micro-Meditation

Bare-bones meditation from the Thai Theravada tradition following a modernized interpretation of Boran Kammatthana. This micro meditation was created in response to a challenge to make a meditation that fits our hectic daily schedule. Normally I would recommend at least 20 minutes minimum of meditation for all but children - but this very short meditation may appeal to goldfish and others with short attention spans. Could be used during the day to come back to one's center.

Transcript

If you'd like to start by settling yourself into a comfortable posture for a micro-meditation practice,

Closing your eyes as gently as possible and allowing your whole body to settle into a comfortable but upright position,

By which you feel you could sit for as long as you like without needing to adjust yourself and without getting sleepy.

Take as long as you need to scan down through the whole of your body,

Making sure each and every muscle is as relaxed as possible,

All the way from the top of your head down to the tips of your toes and relaxing all the muscles in between until it feels as if your whole body has melted away into the atmosphere around you.

To decide any worries or concerns in your mind,

Any thoughts of the past or the future,

Remaining as much as possible in the present moment with the here and now,

And to relax your awareness further and conjure up a relaxed,

Joyful and happy state of mind.

When you're ready,

You can let your attention come to rest somewhere within the empty space of your body and reconnect with a sense of peace inside yourself by bringing the focus of your attention gently down to a place inside you,

Somewhere around the level of your solar plexus or diaphragm,

And anchoring the mind in place,

Either reconnecting with a peaceful feeling there or picturing inner brightness,

Something like the full moon,

A twinkling star or a sparkling diamond.

If your mind wanders,

Just bring it back to the inner object.

If the object disappears,

You can conjure up a new one.

If the object changes,

Just follow it in its new form.

If thoughts bother you,

Simply ignore them,

Or run interference by imagining you hear the sound of that traditional mantra,

Repeated silently in the mind,

With the words Samma Arahang over and over again,

Coming up from the centre of the body,

Until the thoughts are pacified.

So continue with your micro meditation,

Focusing inwardly,

Lightly and gently,

For a few moments more now in silence.