Hi this is Barbara Gibson with a really brief meditation.
Let's just take this space to arrive,
To be here now.
We'll start by just noticing the surface that you're sitting on.
Is it hard or is it soft?
And really feel your sits bones settling into the surface.
Maybe feel the four corners of your feet on the floor.
And breathe.
And as we settle into this time,
I'd really like to invite you to be patient and gentle with yourself.
Meditation is not about emptying the mind and it's not about floating away.
Instead meditation is really about managing the mind.
Recognizing the habits of your thinking.
Noticing what comes up without letting what comes up carry you away.
It's about being with what is.
So as you move into the meditation space,
Again I want to invite you to just be here.
Noticing where you're supported and how your breath feels in your body.
And as you find your comfortable seat,
Begin to focus your attention on your breath.
Feel your breath moving in your body.
Nice big inhale and open your mouth and sigh it out.
And let's do that again two more times.
Big breath in.
Really feel your belly rising.
And a long deep breath out.
Once more in.
Now just return to your normal breath pattern.
And just follow your breath in as it moved in your body and out as it moves out of your body.
Just notice yourself breathing in and notice yourself breathing out.
Just stay with the breath.
Stay with the breath.
And notice when your attention wanders away,
Just gently bring it back.
No admonishments,
No judgments.
Just come back and breathe.
And let's have one more big deep breath.
Maybe the biggest breath you've had all day.
Feel your belly rising and your belly falling.
And as we end that really short meditation,
See if you notice if there have been any shifts in your body.
If maybe something has softened or your shoulders have dropped or your mind feels still.
Just notice.
It's okay if it has happened and it's okay if it hasn't happened.
The idea is to just practice being in your body and with your breath.
Again,
Meditation can help us be with what is.
Meditation can help us see what's happening inside our minds and bodies.
Rather than be that,
Be carried away,
Be the anger,
Be the frustration,
Be the sadness.
Meditation can help us introduce a space from which we can be compassionate with ourselves.
A space from which we can offer ourselves some support and we can decide on the next best step.
Breathe and stay with yourself.
That's one value of meditation.
Tune in for part two to learn more.
I hope you'll join me.
