Dropping Into Meditation

Whether you're brand new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner looking to return to the fundamentals, this meditation meets you where you are. It's a beautifully simple practice: drop into the body, anchor into the breath, and gently return to the present moment - again and again and again. There's no goal to reach, no perfect stillness required. Just a steady, welcoming rhythm that reminds you how to come home to yourself, one breath at a time.

Transcript

Well, Thanks for joining me. As we Do a simple practice. Of just returning to the body and the breath again and again and again, As that is really what meditation is. Boils down to. So I invite you to drop in whatever that means for you. But I thought it might be helpful to let you know what that means for me when I drop into meditation. It really means dropping into this moment. Often that starts with a bit of a deeper breath, Sometimes with a loud sigh. Oh. Then I softened or completely closed my eyes. You can do it with your eyes open, I just think it's a little more difficult to really drop in. And then I just listen for sounds around me and. . . Allowing them to exist without feeling a need to change or fix or judge them. And then I notice any tastes in my mouth. Again, Just noticing, Not judging. Or if I judge, Noticing that I'm judging. I'm trying to create a little spaciousness there. I haven't really noticed the temperature in the room or my skin. Any sensations that I'm feeling. And then I notice my body in the seat. On the bed or the cushion, Wherever it is, I just notice that I have a body and it's here. Then I really try to drop into it, Noticing the weight of it. The heat that it emits. Sometimes I place a hand on my belly or my heart or sometimes on my belly and my heart just to really have that groundedness. And then I begin following the breath. Noticing how the breath moves through the body. Imagining that each exhale grounds me more and more to my seat, To the earth to this moment. And now I've dropped in. So I allow myself to be here now. To notice any sensations from the outer world through my senses. Letting it all be. If there's some discomfort in my body, I try to gently adjust or move. But do everything mindfully. And because it's not often that I drop into my body like this, Normally I'm a walking, Talking head. I begin noticing things like. . . Maybe I'm thirsty or hungry or maybe my lips are chapped or. . . Perhaps there's a slight pain somewhere in my body, But I just begin to notice because I've dropped in. You just notice what's going on with your body. But unless there's a serious crisis like a. . . Heart attacker. Asthma attack see if you can sit through any discomfort in your body any kind of chapped lips or maybe even having to go to the bathroom or scratch and itch. See if you can just notice. Without needing to fix it. Then I noticed the itch I wanted to scratch a few minutes ago is completely gone, Even though I didn't touch it. Move to scratch. If I'm really able to drop into this body, This practice. Everything seems a little heightened. The birds sound or the ambulance or plane flying over. I notice the temperature on my skin in a different way. Smells, And tastes. Everything's just a little heightened because I'm really present. You and then I just rest in the awareness of it all. It definitely takes some practice. I noticed judging certain sounds. Or smells. I try to breathe through that, Just allowing all to be as it is. Now I notice after a few minutes my mind starts wandering. Or judging. And each time I notice, I just put a hand on the heart or the belly. Touch my skin in some way, Reminding me to drop back into the body, To be here now. You When I have a particularly busy mind, I use my breath to focus. Following the in-breath. Noticing the pause before I exhale. And then following the exhale grounding myself ever deeper into the seat into the body resting in present moment awareness. If there are parts of me that arise that have difficulty simply sitting and being and accepting just doing nothing. I work with them with loving compassion. It's okay, To-do list. I'll get to that. For now, We're going to rest in awareness. And see if you can check in on the condition of your body or your mind. Where are you now? And if you've been away this whole time. Perhaps smile and bring yourself back right here. No need for judgment or anger or frustration. If you feel those things, That's fine too, But see if you can take a breath into any judgment about the practice. Let it go. As we come to the last few minutes of this sit together, Perhaps you can set an intention for your day. An intention is not a goal. Or task. It's more of a. . . Sensation or a way of being, A state of mind perhaps. Perhaps set an intention for calm or clarity. To be more connected or present. To notice when we need to pause or rest. That kind of intention. And as the bell rings in just a moment. Minute. See if you can cultivate some gratitude for showing up for yourself during this time, Or just being here, Whether it was pleasant or unpleasant. Settled or busy that. You showed up for the practice of just being, Of just resting. Getting to know yourself just a little more. So whatever that feels like for you, Just offer a little gratitude. Thank you.