Sky Gazing

For this practice, you will need to have a good view of the sky. This can be the daytime or nighttime sky. In it, you will be guided through how to use your in-breath and out-breath to merge your awareness and being with the outer universe of the sky and space and the inner universe of your body. Gradually the distinction between the outer and inner will fall away.

This practice has its roots in the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Sky Gazing.

Transcript

Sit or lie down with a good view of the sky. Take a few moments to settle yourself. Make any adjustments you need to make sure your posture is comfortable, Balanced, Aligned. And then close your eyes and take a moment to become aware of your breath. Notice how you're breathing right now. There's no need to change your breath or make it do anything in particular. Just breathe normally and notice how it feels. When you feel settled, Allow your eyes to open and gently begin to raise your gaze. Look up into the expansive sky above you. You may need to cradle your head or use a pillow to make sure you're comfortable. Notice the whole of the night sky. Notice how spacious it seems, How vast, How deep. You're looking through the transparent window of our atmosphere into space, Into the cosmos that surrounds our planet. And now begin to follow your out breath with your awareness. And you can notice or maybe imagine how your out breath dissolves into the space in front of you. It dissolves into the night sky above you. Breathing out, Breath dissolving into the sky. Also allow any thoughts that arise to dissolve into the sky with your breath. Thoughts, Feelings, Any tensions in your body, Letting them all dissolve together with your breath. Take a few breaths like this, Following your out breath and noticing how it dissolves into the night sky. Breathing out. And now turn your attention to your in breath. Begin to follow your in breath with your awareness. And notice or imagine how it dissolves into the inner space of your body, Into your inner awareness. Breathing in, Breath dissolving into your body. Take a few breaths like this, Following the in breath and noticing how it dissolves inwards. And now let's try to combine both perspectives. Out breath dissolving into the sky, In breath dissolving into your body. And any other thoughts or ideas, Memories that arise, Continuing to let them dissolve into the space around you with your breath. Gradually merging, The distinction between the inner and the outer falling away. Letting go and relaxing into the vastness of the sky, Extending up through the atmosphere into the universe above you. Spacious, Unencumbered. You are becoming the openness of the sky. Space, Just like your mind, Has no beginning, No end, No inside, No outside, No size, No colour, Shape, No centre, No edge. Letting go and relaxing into this spacious openness. Merging with the universe. Resting at ease, Feeling at home.