Welcome back.
In Part 1 of Meditation Basics,
We talked about some of the ways that meditation can help.
So we know it can support us as we begin to recognize habits of thought or begin to recognize our usual thinking patterns.
Meditation can also help us create a space between the self,
As in who we are at our core,
And our current feeling state.
Especially the ones we don't like or don't want.
When we begin to recognize that,
Make the distinction between self and the feeling state,
We can often more readily recognize those experiences like sadness or anger or frustration,
Without fear or without aversion or over-identification.
And we can remember that we are not our feelings and we can learn to let the feelings come and go without so much pain and suffering.
So now let's move into Part 2.
Today we're going to practice a brief meditation and then talk about a few of the other ways that meditation can help.
So I'm going to invite you now to settle,
To take just a few moments to arrive in now and be in this moment.
.
.
.
Give yourself over to this moment and let yourself fully experience being in your body at this time.
And maybe for you that will look like noticing what it feels like to be seated.
Or to feel the four corners of your feet on the floor.
Maybe you'll press your toes in or press your heels in.
Feel the ball of your feet on the floor.
Or maybe you'll press your back against the chair.
Notice where you're supported.
Or maybe you'll feel your breath.
Really notice what it feels like to have it move through your body.
Paying attention to where you feel the breath coming into your body.
Noticing if it feels warm or cool.
And feeling the sensation of your belly rising and falling.
Just allowing yourself to slow down and be with now.
Hold now gently and tenderly.
This is your time just to be with yourself.
To let everything else slip away just for now.
This is your time to be with a very human experience of just breathing.
Of just being.
Just staying in your body.
And gently coming back to your body when you find that you've wandered away.
Just gently bringing yourself back.
And honoring this moment with patient,
Loving attention.
And maybe even some gratitude for having carved out this time for yourself.
To see what's happening in your mind.
And to feel yourself in your body.
Stay with your breath.
And let any thoughts that come up just move away like clouds.
Just let them pass.
Just be with now.
And as we end this really brief meditation,
Have a big deep breath in if that feels comfortable in your body.
Just feel your belly filling.
Feeling up.
And feel your belly falling.
Or maybe if a deep breath doesn't feel right for you,
Maybe you can focus on a mantra.
And let that be your anchor in the moment.
Maybe your mantra will be,
I am enough.
Or,
I am at ease.
Just find whatever works for you in this moment as a way of anchoring yourself to this time and to this place.
As we begin to close the meditation.
How was that?
So maybe you noticed that you felt a little bit of physical discomfort.
Maybe you wanted to move around a lot.
That's okay.
Just awareness is really what's most important.
Or maybe you worry that your mind jumped around a lot.
And that's okay too.
That's exactly what minds do.
So if you noticed,
That's the key.
Awareness really matters.
So each time that your mind wanders away,
You just gently bring it back without judgment,
Without harsh thoughts.
Just with patience and compassion for the experience,
The very human experience of a wandering mind.
And maybe you'll come back to this practice the next time boredom or loneliness or insecurity comes up.
And when you recognize those feelings or any other one,
Maybe you can decide just to be still.
You can stay supportively available to yourself and know that you don't have to do anything or have any response right away.
You can just gently be with what is.
You can notice what's happening and you can watch how the feelings show up in your body.
And you can be curious about what's happening.
Can you stay with a feeling without seeking out the usual distractions?
And we know what those are.
Maybe picking up your phone is how you distract yourself from feelings that you don't like or don't want.
Or maybe you get a snack or an extra cocktail or you pull out your credit card.
Maybe the next time,
Rather than do that right away,
You can just be with what's happening for just a few moments.
Come back to your practice.
Come back to your anchor.
That's your mantra or your breath.
And just stay there for a few moments.
Just stay with the feeling and remember that you can get through it.
And that's really another benefit of meditation.
When you learn how your mind works,
You may feel less panic or fear when your mind does what it typically does.
The minds have habits and once we learn to recognize those habits,
We don't have to be so fearful of them.
We can see what's happening rather than be what's happening.
And there's a kind of confidence in that when we have this growing recognition about how our minds work.
And instead of panic,
You can say,
Oh,
I notice that I'm experiencing some anxiety.
I remember this feeling.
I know it will.
And I don't need to panic.
Right?
So even though I don't like it,
I don't have to be afraid because I have been here before.
And not only have I been here before,
I have been through it before.
So maybe instead of panic,
I can offer myself some compassion.
Maybe I can say,
May I be at ease?
Or maybe I can offer myself a reminder.
For example,
I've gotten through unpleasant anxiety before and I can get through it this time too.
So that doesn't mean that meditation makes life perfect or pain-free.
But it does help us gain some insight.
And when we see what's happening rather than allow ourselves to be what's happening,
We have more space to be patient and gentle and compassionate with ourselves no matter what comes up.
So again,
We see what's happening.
We see that there's frustration.
We see that there's anger.
We see that there's sadness or insecurity.
Rather than be what's happening,
We are not our feelings.
And when we recognize that,
We can be kinder to ourselves.
So just take a moment and really let that sink in.
You deserve kindness.
You deserve compassion.
And it's within your power to offer both of these to yourself in great,
Big,
Generous,
Loving doses every day.
That's my wish for you.
One final deep breath in.
Big,
Deep breath out.
May you be happy,
Healthy,
Safe,
And free from suffering.
May you know peace.
Namaste.
