Mindfulness - Open Monitoring (30min)

Grounded in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), this meditation brings awareness first to an anchor point such as the breath, body, or sound. It then brings awareness step-by-step to the entire human experience, specifically our physical sensations, thoughts and emotions. In doing so, we can observe, in a curious gentle way, who and how we are today. With that knowledge, we can respond skillfully to care for ourselves and our communities by harnessing the wisdom of our body and mind.

Transcript

This is an open monitoring meditation practice for the mindfulness-based blood pressure reduction program. In this practice we're gonna go through each anchor one at a time and then open the field of awareness to explore whatever is more vivid. So let's start by finding that place, That inner sit, The place where our thoughts, Physical sensations, And emotions are monitored with openness and non-judgmentalness. So taking in whatever is there in this moment. So perhaps there's a perception of the shape of the body here sitting. Perhaps there are sounds in the room. Perhaps you can notice your breathing or thoughts. So just taking some time to check in with the present moment. Noticing sensations with the surface that the body is resting on right now. Perhaps sensations of pressure, Temperature, Gravity. And now knowing that as long as we're breathing there's more right with us than wrong with us. Welcoming whatever is there. So the invitation is to start by noticing the rhythm of the breath. Where in the body is it felt more vividly? So for instance for you it could be on the face and for another person it could be on the chest. Another person at this moment could be in the belly. So just observing the present moment experience and allowing awareness to rest there. Whatever the breath is stronger. And bringing that quality of curiosity as well. Where exactly do I feel the breath? Is it more to one side than the other? Is this in-breath different from the next in-breath in terms of duration? How shallow or deep is the breath right now? Just exploring whatever is there knowing that the body has been breathing for years and there's millions of years of evolution behind the breath. So trusting this deep knowledge that biology knows what to do at each moment. So just observing. And now letting the awareness of the breath to take a back seat. And being open to other physical sensations in the body right now. Which could be the hands touching, The feet touching the floor, The shape of the body as a whole, Sensations of the points of contact with the surface. So just picking one sensation and staying with that for the next couple of minutes or so. And maybe asking ourselves the question, Does this sensation change? Or is it always the same? At least it has been since we first started to notice it. And whatever is the answer just gather that data as a scientist of our own present moment. Does the intensity of the sensation change? Or perhaps there are different qualities of this sensation that we could explore. It could be a little bit of tingling, But also a little bit of pressure, Moisture. So diving deeper and almost like dissecting the qualities of this sensation and this moment, And then at this moment, And then at this moment. Now allowing the focus of awareness again to shift one more time and inviting the mind to rest on sounds. And even dropping beneath any story that the mind is telling about the sound, Any labeling that may be happening and just sticking with the raw qualities of the sound, For instance, The distance, If it's far or close. Any craving towards a particular sound and then when another sound comes in, Maybe there's resistance. So just observing how do we open towards any sound that's happening right now. And if you notice the mind wandering, Remembering that this is the practice of a thousand beginnings. No matter how many times. It's bringing the mind back gently and firmly to sounds. And now opening the field of awareness to include thoughts. So observing the field of thoughts right now. Whatever's there. Seeing perhaps if we can relate to thoughts as clouds in the sky passing by and not getting attached to any. So just seeing them as events in our minds, As the weather of our minds. And even perhaps noticing that some thoughts have a higher tendency to want to stay and others just pass by really quickly. So just observing and perhaps even labeling them. So this is fantasizing, This is resisting, This is worrying, This is ruminating, Planning. Just noticing how these different types of thoughts influence our present moment. And now expanding the field of awareness to include emotions and feelings. Is there any particular emotional tone present right now? If there is, How do you know? What makes you label this particular emotion? With this name, Maybe there's a sensation associated with it. So exploring with curiosity. And also noticing if perhaps there is a tendency to overthink. With labeling, If there is, Just letting it go. It's okay just to be enough and label it enough and just connect to it. So in some ways, Labeling can help, But in the others, It can keep us stuck in our mind. So noticing if that's true for you. Just dropping underneath any labels and connecting to the felt sense of this emotion. And now, Letting the focus on emotions and thoughts to take a back seat and opening the field of awareness to whatever is there at this moment. So just seeing all of these different sensations. It could be the breath, It could be the smell, It could be a sound, It could be a particular sensation in the body. Or even thoughts and emotions as events in our field of awareness. As transitory events, So knowing that they pass. So just allowing the mind to be open to any event that's happening right now more vividly and letting it rest there. And then, Until another event comes on. And then, Another one. So you may stay, For instance, With a particular sensation in the shoulder and then it's not as vivid anymore and a sound becomes more vivid and then you allow the mind to explore this sound and it may be then a thought or a particular emotion. So just observing the triangle of awareness of thoughts, Physical sensations and emotions as events in our mind and just exploring whatever is present with curiosity. Also observing our particular relationship to these events. So is there any attachment or perhaps there is resistance? How are we relating to particular sensations, Thoughts and emotions? Maybe there's a clinging and something that we feel pleasant and resistance or something we feel unpleasant and just none of these if something is neutral. So just exploring with curiosity. What these events are in the present moment, What's more vivid and how we relate to them. If this open awareness feels too much, You always have the option to return to your anchor. Knowing that this narrowing and broadening the field of awareness can be a skill that you can apply in a day-to-day life. But the invitation now is to have an open field of awareness if that doesn't feel too stimulating. Which type of event, Which type of cloud is showing up in your present experience right now? Is it a thought, A physical sensation, An emotion? Is it a sound, A breath? Just noticing whatever is present and it's all good learning. Even there is there may be a tendency where where the mind goes when it's invited to open. Learning about our patterns can help us notice if it happens outside the cushion. And now inviting the mind to narrow the focus of attention. Again, So picking up one of the anchors, Just stick with for before a transition out of this practice. So this could be the breath, A sound or a physical sensation in the body. Narrowing again the focus of awareness to invite some sense of stability in the mind. How does it feel right now to be in this moment with this anchor? And gently, In your own time, Starting to bring this practice to a close.