Or falls.
Beaches.
Mountaintops.
These places are old.
Ideal.
Sometimes.
When we think about.
Mindfulness or meditation.
This is exactly what we want.
We want to feel like.
.
.
We're somewhere relaxing,
Somewhere peaceful.
But unfortunately.
.
.
Quite often in life,
Usually in life.
We are somewhere far less peaceful.
So today I want to take something common to us all.
And use it as an opportunity to Practice.
Mindfulness.
And make the best of a difficult situation.
So welcome to mindfulness on the Metro.
Now if you don't use the metro.
.
.
I'm sure you use the bus or cars or perhaps you walk.
But most of us.
.
.
Most days do have to leave home and go places.
You don't need to be somewhere quiet to practice mindfulness.
You don't need to escape the noise,
The movement,
Or the people around you.
For the next few minutes,
We're just going to notice.
What it feels like.
To be here.
So wherever you are on your journey.
Just allow your attention to settle.
Into your body.
You might notice where your feet meet the floor.
Or where your back and legs make contact.
With the seat on the Metro.
Notice the pressure of that contact.
Perhaps it's cold.
Perhaps there's a gentle shaking.
Beneath you.
Maybe there's an intense vibration.
Traveling through your feet and your body.
Perhaps your weight shifts from side to side as the Metro does.
Maybe you can't find a seat and you're standing.
And you can feel the jostling,
The toing and froing of bodies.
There's nothing here that you actually need to change.
We just need to notice.
These feelings as they arise and pass away.
Likewise,
Often times the metro or the bus or public can be quite noisy,
Unlike.
.
.
A temple.
There might be conversations.
Announcements the movement of the carriage.
Doors opening and closing.
Perhaps there's intense screeching of the tracks.
So rather than.
Searching for silence.
Just allow these sounds.
Pleasant or unpleasant?
Two.
Appear.
And become part of the meditation.
Just notice the sound.
Notice it appear and disappear.
And sure enough,
Another sound will take its place.
If you flinch at a noisy sound or you're pleased when it passes,
Just notice the feelings as they coming in and out like waves in response to the sounds or make you feel uncomfortable,
Just notice that as well.
Perhaps someone cushies past you just as you're.
.
.
Beginning to.
.
.
He'll come.
Perhaps the train or the bus or the public place is too crowded.
Perhaps you're just tired and want to get home.
So just notice what happens in the body when.
.
.
Irritation or stress appears.
Is there tension somewhere?
In the chest.
And your legs.
Perhaps you clench your fists.
Is there heat,
Pressure?
Tightness,
Perhaps an 8.
You don't actually need to get rid of it.
Just give it space to appear,
Like the sounds and the feelings of the environment.
Just notice it.
Recognize it.
Allow it to be there.
And see that just like everything else you've been observing.
Eventually it will change and disappear.
And if the feeling becomes too uncomfortable,
Just gently return your attention to something more grounding like the breath.
So,
Now allow your awareness to widen slightly.
To the movements,
Sounds,
Your breath,
Your body,
The people around you.
Everything that we've focused on piece by piece realize that this particular flux of movements,
Sounds,
Emotions.
Is just another part of the ever-changing flow of your day.
The Metro doesn't have to be peaceful.
In order to be a moment of mindfulness.
It's a perfect opportunity to.
.
.
Practice.
Mindfulness.
Of purely what is there without judging.
Whatever your situation.
Just notice what's here.
And when you're ready.
.
.
Continue on your journey.
And hopefully you can carry a little bit more awareness into the next.
Part of your day.
And I hope that next time.
.
.
You get on the metro or the bus or embark on your journey somewhere.
You can turn the stressful experience into an opportunity to practice your meditation.
