Stepping Back From The Screen - For Calm And Presence

This meditation uses the metaphor of a cinema to help you create distance from the noise and pressure of everyday life.

You will be gently guided from the front row all the way to the back of the theatre, and beyond, until you find a place of deep stillness and spaciousness within yourself.

Each step back from the screen brings more calm, more clarity, and more room to breathe.

Return to this practice whenever you need to release the weight of the day and remember who you are beneath it all.

Transcript

Stepping back from the screen, This is one of my favourite meditations. It's a very simple one, It doesn't take that long and that's why I really love it, Because it just needs you, A bit of deep breathing, A bit of visualisation and we reach a state of bliss. So I want to invite you now to just join me, Take a moment to just stretch and then just settle into a nice, Comfortable, But alert position. Take a deep breath, And out, And another one, And close your eyes, And feel yourself start to slow down. And I want you now to just imagine that you walk into a movie theatre, And you're standing right at the front, And you can see the exact scene that you saw when your eyes were open. Just notice the details around you, There might be a lamp, A desk, A floor, Sofa, Or if you're outside, Maybe there's some grass, Some trees, Wherever you are. Just get a really clear picture of that scene in your mind, As if you're watching it on a screen. And sometimes when you're too close to the screen, You can barely make out what's going on. So I want you to just take another deep breath, And just imagine taking a step back from the screen, So that you're no longer in the movie, But you are now a step back, Just watching. What does it feel like to be in the front row of your mind, Watching that same scene from when your eyes were open? Just really settle into this here, Take another deep breath. Now I want you to imagine like you go a couple rows back, About a third of the way up, Towards the back of the cinema. Just find yourself with just a little bit more distance from your everyday life, A little bit more space in your mind. Another deep breath here, And just settle in. Feel that extra space in your mind, That extra little bit of calm. Notice where you're tensing in your body, Where would it help you to just relax? Take a deep breath, And soften. Now let's go halfway back. What does it feel to be halfway back in the cinema? Away from your everyday life. Just watching the screen, But not so close, Not so drawn in. Take a deep breath, And settle into this new place of peace and calm. Notice what your mind is holding on to. It might feel like you're tensing your brain, Or you're tensing your forehead. You're just holding on to something in your mind. Take a deep breath, Blow it out, And let it go. And if you get distracted, That's okay. Just take a moment to just bring yourself back gently, Slowly. This is your time. Take a deep breath, And release. And feel the calm. Feel the pressure in your head melt away. As we take another deep breath, And go all the way to the back of the cinema. Right in the back row, Far away from the screen as you can get. Just notice what it feels like to have all this space. Between you, And the screen. Between you, And the theatre of everyday life. This peace, This presence. This is who you really are. Just take another deep breath. Really let yourself feel the spaciousness, The vastness of the space that you have. And with another deep breath, We're going to go even further back. Into the cinema booth, Where the projector is, Behind all the seats. And you're actually in the cinema room, Controlling the projector. And just let that projector dim the screen. The blackness come on the screen, When the projector turns off. Let the drop, Feel the ocean. Feel the limitlessness of reality, Of the infinite. What does it feel like to give yourself this time and space? Let the peace wash over you, Like running water. In a shower. Over every single cell in your body. Until you are at peace. And take a deep breath. Fill yourself up with this peace. And know that this does not only exist in this space. Know that you can take this peace with you. That you are fully whole. And fully loved. From within. And when you feel complete, Just ease yourself back down the stairs of the cinema. Until you reach the exit. And open the door. And go through the exit. Take one more deep breath. And when you're ready, Wiggle your fingers and wiggle your toes. And bring yourself back, With all that peace. As you slowly open your eyes. Bring this peace, Back to your life. You can carry this with you into the rest of your day. Or maybe into your dreams. Enjoy this meditation. And come back to it, Whenever you want to. Use your symbol, To get back into that state of bliss, And calm and peace, Whenever you like. See you next time.