Welcome to this Releasing Samskaras meditation.
In this meditation,
We will be eliminating or releasing negative samskaras,
Or our subtle impressions of past actions,
And replacing them with positive ones.
In Sanskrit,
Sam means thought out,
And kara means action.
These may be habits well ingrained in our mindset that become powerful motivators of our thoughts,
Actions,
And our speech.
The contents of our mind affect our perception of ourselves and others.
So please take a few moments to settle into a comfortable seat,
Or in a reclined position,
With the intention,
If you are lying down,
To remain awake.
Begin to draw your attention to your breath.
Breathe in,
Breathe out,
Breathing slowly in and out through your nose.
With each breath,
Relax your body a little deeper.
Let's start by setting an intention to awaken a deeper knowing beyond our physical limitations.
This sankalpa,
Or intention,
Is a call to awakening that unites our mind to the deepest part of our psyche.
Repeat to yourself three times.
I awaken to a deeper knowing beyond my physical,
Mental,
And emotional limitations.
I awaken to a deeper knowing beyond my physical,
Mental,
And emotional limitations.
I awaken to a deeper knowing beyond my physical,
Mental,
And emotional limitations.
Now we commit to tapas,
Or perseverance,
For the energy to sustain a discipline to create long-lasting change through this sadhana,
Or meditation practice.
In order to slow down,
We will take time here for reflection,
Beginning with a body scan.
As I name the body parts and ask you to tune your awareness to various regions of your body,
Please be open to vidya,
Or awareness.
Be curious and investigate how your breath feels in each part of your body that I name.
What sensations do you feel?
What colors and shapes,
Thoughts,
Or emotions come to mind as you settle on the various areas?
And ask,
What does this sensation,
Pain,
Or struggle have to tell me?
There are no right or wrong answers.
Simply find yourself relaxing and being present.
During this process of scanning the body,
We move beyond the known to the unknown.
We practice abhaya,
Or fearlessness.
Many of us fear unpleasant sensations,
Or fear that the body won't cooperate in the way that we'd like.
We fear what we don't know.
Instead,
Allow yourself to stay in the space and move through it with presence.
Please tune into your breathing once again.
Breath in,
Breath out.
Feeling the breath move throughout your entire body,
The whole body breathing.
Observe your feet.
Notice your legs.
Observing what sensations you feel,
The thoughts or emotions that come to mind as you settle on the parts of the body.
Notice your pelvis,
The parts of your body that make up the pelvis,
The tailbone,
The sit bones,
The pubic bone,
The outer hips,
The lower back,
The organs that rest in this space.
What do the sensations,
The pains,
The struggles of this part of your body have to tell you?
Notice your abdomen and all the organs that rest in the abdomen.
Noticing the low ribs,
The mid-back.
Notice how your breath moves in this part of your body,
The sensations that are present.
Observe the chest,
The heart,
The upper ribs,
The upper back.
Notice the breath in your chest,
The sensations,
If any colors or shapes,
Thoughts or emotions come to mind as your mind settles on this part of your body.
Observe your shoulders,
The shoulder blades,
The tops of your shoulders,
Your upper arms.
Notice the sensations as your awareness travels down the arms to the elbows,
The forearm,
The wrists,
The palms,
The fingertips.
What sensations are in the arms and hands?
Move your awareness back up the arms through the shoulders to your throat and neck.
What sensations do you feel?
What do you notice about the breath?
Observing your head,
The jaw,
The teeth,
The gums,
The lips,
The cheeks,
The nose,
The eyes,
The temples,
The forehead,
The scalp,
The back of your head.
Feel the whole head,
The whole face,
The very top of your head.
Observing and being present for all of the sensations,
All of the thoughts and emotions that come to mind as you settle here.
Listen carefully and allow yourself to feel whatever comes up,
To feel whatever is present,
To feel what your feelings shift and how they flow.
Feeling your whole body,
Relaxed,
Resting,
Present.
Whatever discomfort that you found within,
Whatever showed up in your breath or in your thoughts,
Begin to allow for an envisioning of new patterns,
New samskaras now replacing the old.
Visualize the experience of a healed body and mind,
A new way of moving and thinking.
We'll now create new memories of freedom and space and allow new visions to take shape within your mind.
If you have had restricted motion due to injury or illness,
Begin to picture your body moving the way that it used to or the way that you would like it to.
If you have a habit of negative self-talk,
Begin to reframe the words that you speak aloud or within your mind.
Allow for space to understand what mindset the old samskaras,
The old memories or movement triggers,
Those triggers that create the old pattern of thinking or bring up the old pattern of thinking or being in your body.
And possibly begin to create a word or an affirmation or a new habit that pulls you back to this new pattern,
A new way of being.
The more we visualize a new experience,
A new movement or pattern,
The more real and compelling it will become.
Imagine in your mind you joyful,
Healthy,
Happy,
Healed,
Moving with freedom and space.
This practice of visualization or darshana will reinforce the new pattern or way of thinking.
When we begin to leave behind the old pattern,
We enter a new place with unlimited possibilities for new choices,
Rebirth,
And a closer connection to our true selves.
Knowing that we can return here anytime that we would like to this place of visualization,
Creating new experiences within our minds,
Creating new patterns of healthy thought.
Let's return to our intention before we end the meditation.
So please repeat to yourself again three times.
I awaken to a deeper knowing beyond my physical,
Mental,
And emotional limitations.
I awaken to a deeper knowing beyond my physical,
Mental,
And emotional limitations.
I awaken to a deeper knowing beyond my physical,
Mental,
And emotional limitations.
At last,
Return to your breathing.
Return to your physical body in this meditative position.
Allow for small movements in your joints.
Possibly bring your palms together and rub your hands to create warmth,
To create energy,
And then place your hands over your closed eyelids and slowly blink the eyes to let light back in.
When you feel ready,
Rejoin the day with a new perspective.
And as you integrate back into the world,
Remain with your intention to awaken to deeper knowing.
