Dear friends,
Have you ever found it difficult to be present?
Have you sometimes found yourself replaying events of the past or worrying about something that is coming up in the future?
In this meditation,
We are going to see if we can bring ourselves for a few minutes to a place of stillness and peace,
A place where there is nowhere to go,
Where there is nothing to do except to experience the gift of this present moment.
You might like to begin by closing your eyes,
But you don't have to.
The important thing is that you feel comfortable and relaxed.
So,
A deep breath in,
Hold for two seconds,
And then let out the breath fully,
With a big sigh,
A sigh of contentment.
Let's try that again.
A deep breath in,
Then holding for two seconds,
Then releasing the breath with a big contented sigh,
Realising that just here and right now,
All is well,
And allow yourself to just relax into this present moment,
Thinking of how wonderful it is,
How amazing it is to be alive,
To be part of this wonderful existence.
You might like to let your breath return to its normal rhythm now.
And let's stay with an awareness of the breath,
Because the breath always brings us into the present moment.
We always have the breath with us,
Day and night,
In the good times and in the challenging times.
And there is a formula,
A well-known formula,
To bring us there.
Breathing in,
I notice that I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I notice that I am breathing out.
So just sitting here,
Relaxed,
And being present.
Breathing in,
I notice that I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I notice that I am breathing out.
Sometimes we drift out of the present moment,
Even when we're sitting in meditation.
The mind begins to wander.
We think of something that we need to do.
If that happens,
And not so much if that happens,
We know it will,
So when that happens,
No worries,
No worries at all.
Just bring yourself back to a moment of awareness,
Gently bringing your attention back to the present moment,
And just relax.
Breathing in,
I am aware that I am breathing in.
Breathing out,
I am aware that I am breathing out.
The Buddhist monk,
Thich Nhat Hanh,
Has an expression for use during a breathing exercise.
Breathing in,
I am aware of this present moment.
Breathing out,
I realise this is a wonderful moment.
Present moment,
Wonderful moment.
You might now like to place your hands on your chest.
Notice your heartbeat.
Notice the rising and the falling of your chest as you breathe in and out.
This is your wonderful presence in the here and now.
Breathing in contentment,
Gratitude for all we have.
Breathing out anything we don't need,
Anything that prevents us from being here.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be at ease.
The background music will continue for a little while,
In case you might like to spend a few more minutes just experiencing the joy of doing nothing.
The happiness of just being aware of the fact that you are here.
The fact that against all the odds,
You are here and now,
With all the possibilities that attach to that gift.
Namaste.
