Welcome to this guided centering meditation practice.
Begin by placing yourself into a comfortable seated position.
If you are sitting in a chair,
Allow your feet to rest flat on the floor.
Or you can choose to sit cross-legged on a comfy chair,
A couch,
Or on the floor.
Perhaps with a cushion under your sit bones for support.
Allow your back and spine,
Your head and your neck to come into a natural alignment.
Neither straining to sit up,
Nor slouching forward.
Gently place your hands in your lap or on your knees in a position that feels comfortable to you.
Release any tension you are holding in your shoulders,
Your neck,
Your jaw.
Let your eyes and your eyelids be soft,
Unfurling any residual holding or scrunching in the eyes or the forehead.
Give yourself permission now to let go and be present to your practice.
Without effort,
Simply allow your breath to deepen,
Relax,
And to flow naturally and comfortably.
If you have not yet chosen a sacred or centering word,
You are invited to take a moment to do so now.
Choose,
Or better,
Allow a short word to come to you,
A word of one or two syllables.
Whatever word comes to you,
Accept it with gratitude.
Remember that it is not the meaning of the word that is important,
But rather that your word becomes a symbol of your consent,
Of your willingness to say yes to whatever arises in your experience.
We will now move into the time for practice.
I'll begin by reading a poem by the Sufi poet Rumi.
Then I'll repeat the four guidelines of centering meditation.
After that,
You will hear a bell,
Followed by 20 minutes of silence.
And at the end of the period,
There will be three chimes of the bell,
Signaling the end of the time for practice,
The beginning of bringing centering for wisdom into whatever comes next in your day.
The Guest House by Jalaluddin Rumi This being human is a guest house,
Every morning a new arrival,
A joy,
A depression,
A meanness,
Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all.
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
Who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture,
Still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought,
The shame,
The malice.
Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
Because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
The Four Guidelines of Centering Meditation 1.
Choose a centering or sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to whatever arises during your meditation,
Without commenting on or judging your experience.
2.
Place yourself into a comfortable seated position,
Close your eyes,
And silently introduce your centering word.
3.
Whenever you are engaged with your thoughts,
Silently repeat your centering word.
Your thoughts can include bodily sensations,
Memories,
Feelings,
Images,
Or reflections.
4.
At the end of the meditation period,
Remain in silence with your eyes closed for a few minutes,
Allowing yourself time to transition gently into whatever comes next in your day.
4.
At the end of the meditation period,
Remain in silence with your eyes closed for a few minutes,
Allowing yourself time to transition gently into whatever comes next in your day.
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