Good morning.
My name is Tomek and I'm delighted to start this day together.
As always,
I wish you a pleasant practice.
When I woke up this morning,
My mind was already on.
The usual chatter,
Nothing major,
Yet not necessarily a welcome experience.
Then it occurred to me that mind wandering might be the only skill that does not require any practice,
And at the same time a major source of worries.
Mostly about things that never happen.
Attaining concentration is an antidote for the racing mind.
It is also one of the important goals in meditation that offers many practical ways to achieve it.
One of the most effective ways to focus your mind is mantra.
Mantra is not some magical word.
Word mantra is derived from two Sanskrit words.
Manas means mind and tra means tool.
Mantra literally means a tool for the mind,
And as such is intended to bring your racing mind to stillness.
Once you are still your mind,
The mantra is no longer needed.
That is until next time your mind wanders,
In which case you use the tool again.
Today I invite you to practice mantra meditation with me.
To make things easier,
I have already chosen a mantra for you.
It's going to be the word yes.
It really doesn't matter what word you choose,
As long as it doesn't create an emotional attachment that would stir your mind,
The opposite to what we try to achieve.
The only way to see if this tool works for you is to try it.
So let us begin.
Wherever you are,
However you feel,
This is a great place to start.
Begin by setting an intention for this meditation.
My intention for you is to help you to still your mind and do it in a calm,
Not judgmental way with the help of mantra.
Use a position that is comfortable for you,
Sitting or lying down,
Whatever makes you feel at ease and relaxed.
If you are sitting,
Make sure that your back is straight,
But not rigid.
Your hands resting in your lap,
Your feet on the floor giving you support,
Grounding you.
Allow your eyes to close.
Now tune in into your physical body.
Is there any tension,
Any discomfort that still gets in the way of your relaxation?
If this is the case,
Simply soften that place in your body,
Allowing it to relax.
Now tune in into your breath.
It doesn't matter whether your breath is long or short,
Deep or shallow.
Simply trying to familiarize yourself with the natural flow of your breath,
Which will change during this practice anyway.
Recognize how the breath flows in and flows out of your body.
For this practice,
I will invite you to breathe in and out through your nose,
Which will help to get the best experience out of your breathing.
As you close your mouth,
Rest your tongue behind the two top teeth.
If it helps,
You may take now a couple of deeper cleansing breaths.
As you breathe in and out,
Observe expansion and contraction of your body.
You may perceive it through the rise and fall of your chest,
Expansion and contraction of your belly.
And now,
Add mental word yes to each in-breath and each out-breath.
Breathing in,
Yes.
Breathing out,
Yes.
Do it as gently as possible.
Allow your mantra to be reflection of the intention.
The softer and gentler your mantra,
The quicker your mind will settle down.
Breathing in,
Yes.
Breathing out,
Yes.
Try not to have any expectations.
Simply allow the mantra to do its job.
You may notice that after a couple of repetitions,
Your mind starts to wander.
And every time this happens,
You simply recognize the mind wandering and bring yourself back to the sound of mantra.
Breathing in,
Yes.
Breathing out,
Yes.
Perhaps you will notice at some point a discomfort or tension in your body.
And this is just another distraction.
And you will deal with it as with any distraction.
Bringing your awareness back to the mantra.
Breathing in,
Yes.
Breathing out,
Yes.
Softly and calmly.
Whatever comes your way,
You receive it and welcome it.
And understand that this is temporary.
And you can always seek a refuge in your mantra.
Breathing in,
Yes.
Breathing out,
Yes.
As your mind settles down a bit,
Introduce even more gentleness into your mantra.
Try to say it in your mind as softly as possible.
The way you say your mantra is a reflection of the state you try to achieve.
Imagine that with every repetition,
Your body relaxes just a little bit more.
Going deeper and deeper into the stillness,
Into the natural state of being.
And now I allow you to practice on your own as I stand by your side,
Always here,
Ready to help you holding the space.
And now it's time to return.
Let go of mantra and bring your attention again to your body sensations.
Connect with your physical senses.
Notice any external sounds.
Reconnect with the sense of touch through your hands resting in your lap,
Through your feet on the floor,
Connecting with your sit bones.
Now add some physical movement.
Wiggle your toes.
Move and stretch your fingers.
Tilt your head gently to the left.
Feel the muscles in your neck flexing and stretching.
Tilt your head to the right.
Back to the center.
And take one deep cleansing breath.
In through your nose and out through your mouth.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes and welcome back.
I hope you enjoyed this practice.
Remember you can use mantra at any time of your day,
As your aid and as your ally to help you to quiet and settle your mind in times when you need it.
Thank you again for spending this time with me.
I look forward to meditating with you soon.
Have a wonderful day!
