Opening To Curiosity - 10 Minute Meditation

Curiosity is a natural human quality that drives us to learn and explore. It helps us to see the world in new ways and to discover new possibilities. It also helps us to be more open-minded and to connect with others on a deeper level.

This practice invites us to get curious about our thoughts, feelings, and sensations. We ground ourselves in our bodies and explore curiosity through the gateway of our hearts.

In this episode, you will learn how to: Get curious about what you'd like to explore, lean into curiosity and openness, and tune into your breath, mind, and body.

What you will need: A comfortable place to sit and a few minutes of your time

When you are finished, I invite you to take a few moments to rest and reflect on today's meditation practice.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to today's meditation on Opening to Curiosity.

So Opening to Curiosity is a practice of becoming more open to new experiences,

Ideas and perspective.

It's about letting go of judgement and preconceptions and approaching the world with a sense of wonder and excitement.

So I invite you to find a comfortable seated position.

If you're sat on the chair,

I invite you to uncross your legs and place your feet parallel on the ground.

I'd also like you to ensure that your spine is long,

Your shoulders are away from your ears and your chin is also parallel to the ground.

If you're sat on the floor,

I invite you to place a cushion under your sit bones,

Just to make sure that you don't have any pins and needles in your ankles throughout today's practice.

And if it's within your practice to do so,

I invite you to close down your eyes or to take a soft gaze out in front of you.

And just take a moment to settle into your seat.

Allow your mind to unwind.

And allow your body to soften and relax.

Just take a moment to observe your breath.

Maybe ask yourself,

Where can you feel the breath in the body today?

And as you observe,

Just notice the breath without judgment or attachment.

Observe it with a sense of curiosity and equanimity throughout today's practice.

And as we take our awareness from our breath,

I'd like you to shift it and focus your attention on your heart.

Feel the warmth and the beating of your heart.

And throughout today's practice,

I'd like you to imagine that your heart is the gateway to curiosity.

And as you observe each inhale,

I'd like you to imagine that you are opening your heart to curiosity.

And as you exhale,

Imagine that you are releasing any resistance or judgment that you may have towards curiosity.

And just take a moment to continue to breathe and focus on opening your heart to curiosity.

Feel the sense of wonder and excitement that comes with being open to new experiences and ideas.

And as you gently bring your awareness back to the breath,

Notice the rise and the fall of your chest as you inhale and exhale.

And as you inhale,

Imagine that you are breathing in curiosity.

And as you exhale,

Imagine that you are breathing out any limitations or fears you may have about being curious.

And just continue to breathe and focus on breathing in curiosity.

Bask and feel into that sense of freedom and possibility that comes hand in hand with being open to learning and growing.

And now allow your curiosity to guide you.

Take a moment to ask yourself,

What are you curious about?

What do you want to learn more about?

What new experiences do you want to have?

And let your curiosity take you on a journey to guide and lead you to where it wants to go.

Be open to new possibilities and perspectives.

And be open to learning and growing on this journey.

And I'll leave you to sit with that for a moment.

And as you explore with your curious mind,

I'd like to read something to you that I wrote last week.

And that is that curiosity is a beautiful gift.

It is the spark that ignites our thirst for knowledge and understanding.

It is the driving force behind our exploration of the world around us and within us.

When we are curious,

We are open to new experiences and perspectives.

We are willing to question what we know and to challenge our assumptions.

We are eager to learn and to grow.

Curiosity is essential for living a full and meaningful life.

It allows us to connect with the world in a deeper way and to appreciate the beauty and wonder of existence.

And in the Buddhist tradition,

Curiosity is seen as a path to liberation.

And it is through our curiosity that we begin to see the world as it truly is,

Without the filters of our preconceived notions and biases.

And when we are truly curious,

We are able to let go of our attachments and to see the world with fresh eyes.

We are able to see the interconnectedness of all things and the interdependence of all beings.

And I'll just leave you for a moment to allow that verse to sink in.

Allow it to connect with the curiosity that your mind is exploring today.

And as your curious mind returns home from the journey that it's been on today,

I invite you to bring your awareness from that curiosity back into the body,

Back into the breath,

And back into the heart.

And as you feel the warmth of your heart in your chest,

The sensations of the breath in your belly and on your top lip,

I invite you to place your left hand on your heart centre and your right hand on your belly.

And just take a moment to connect to the body and the journey that you've been on today.

And to check in with how you're feeling in this moment.

You may choose to create some warmth between your hands and your body by gently rubbing your chest and rubbing your belly as you begin to flutter your eyes open.

Take a moment to come around.

And you may wish to grab a pen and paper or to grab your journal and to note down what came up for you in today's practice.

I'd like you,

I'd like to thank you for sitting with me today.

And I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.