Welcome,
My name is Anja Benesch,
I am a Three Doors teacher and I'm happy to invite you into this guided meditation of roundabout 20 minutes.
In this Three Doors practice we will welcome the summertime and meet qualities in us that we usually connect with at that time of the year,
Like feeling the space to breathe,
Like light and warmth.
So let's explore how summer is alive around you and within you right now in this moment.
So I invite you to become aware of how you are experiencing the season right now.
So maybe your windows are open and you see the sun shining outside,
Or maybe you are even sitting outside because it's warm.
Maybe you feel a gentle breeze and the smells of summer flowers are present for you.
So take a moment here and be aware of how you perceive the season.
And also be aware that all the plants and us as human beings are being nourished by the sunlight during summertime.
The sun allows everything to grow and to come into bloom.
So sit comfortably and arrange a comfortable position for your body.
And as you do so,
Become aware of your surroundings and what supports you as you settle into your posture.
Your body is being supported by the cushion or the chair or whatever you're sitting on beneath you.
And somewhere beneath you,
There's earth.
Earth that is grounding you and offering a space to be.
Allow your body to fully rest now.
There really is nothing to manage or to arrange or to do now.
Can you allow for that,
For your body to rest?
There's nothing to do.
Simply breathing,
Being,
And resting.
Your voice and speech can also rest now.
No need to say anything or express anything.
All the critical inner voices are invited to take a break and to enjoy resting in silence.
Your mind and heart are invited to simply be,
Without trying to change or optimize anything.
Everything is perfect,
Just as it is.
So leave it as it is.
So now let's gradually release any effort to change our experience.
And for this,
I invite you to fully bring your attention to this moment here and now.
And that's very easily done by bringing our attention to our breath.
So become aware of your breath.
Notice the ease that comes with the exhalation,
That sense of letting go,
Of releasing.
And allow your breath to flow naturally,
Without forcing anything.
Notice that there is a space for you to simply breathe,
Simply be.
Your exhalation offering continuous support to release what no longer serves you.
Supporting you to rest deeper with every breath.
Gently bringing your attention inward and resting your attention at the crown of your head now.
Continuing to breathe gently,
Deeply.
Breathing in through your nose and as you breathe out,
Releasing any effort and tension you are holding in your body around who you are trying to be.
Releasing that effort and simply resting as you are in this moment.
Letting go of any expectation,
Your own,
Other people's.
Feel free from that as you become aware of the stillness of your body and connect with that stillness.
Each breath takes you deeper into the connection with the stillness.
Become the stillness,
Be the stillness.
And as you rest in the stillness,
A sense of openness becomes palpable,
A sense of boundless space.
And if so,
Allow that to expand.
Recognize how the openness and space within you encompasses everything.
Even if there's movement in that space,
In your body,
Connect with the underlying stillness,
The stillness of being.
A stillness encompassing all movements.
Feel a pervasive sense of stillness,
A deep connection to space and rest there.
Now,
Gently bringing your attention to the area within and around your throat.
Continuing to breathe.
Breathing in through your nose.
And as you breathe out,
Releasing any tension or effort that you may carry in your voice.
All the critical and immense energy that you may carry in your body all the critical and demanding thoughts trying to convince you and others to adapt a specific perspective on how things are.
Release all that effort and rest.
Hear the silence and listen to the silence,
Connect with it.
Continue to listen to the silence.
If you become aware that you've been distracted,
Then consciously listen to the sounds around you and see if you can allow them to be a part of the silence,
Actually a support to connect with silence.
And if you listen carefully,
You may even recognize that there's a silence beyond the sounds and thoughts,
The underlying silence of being.
And continue to listen to that silence,
Becoming it,
Connecting,
Connecting with a loud voice.
Listening to that silence,
Becoming it,
Connecting,
Connecting with the light within and resting here.
Now gently bringing your attention to the area within and around your heart and breathing gently and slowly,
Deeply into your heart area.
Breathing in and out from your heart.
And as you breathe out,
Releasing any effort related to your emotions,
All the suppression of unpleasant emotions,
All the striving to feel better than you actually do,
Releasing that kind of effort and resting here in your heart area.
Allowing yourself to feel what you're feeling,
Allowing your feelings to breathe.
So be fully aware of your breath flowing in and out of your heart area in its very personal natural rhythm without putting any effort on your part.
Simply allowing the breath to flow.
Breathing in fresh and light energy into your heart.
And as you exhale,
There's a sense of relaxation and letting go.
And as you continue to breathe into and out of your heart,
Feel your heart space opening and expanding.
Savor any sense of opening that you become aware of and allow that every exhalation deepens this connection to the spaciousness in your heart.
Maybe there's some warmth that naturally arises in your heart.
So connect with openness,
Light and warmth in your heart area.
And allow to feel that the light in your heart expands and radiates to others from your heart.
As you continue to breathe deeply and slowly,
As you continue to allow your body,
Speech and mind to release any effort,
Just be aware that,
Like all the plants and human beings,
You are being nourished by the sun and by the sunlight in summertime.
See if you can allow yourself to be nourished in the experience of space,
Of light,
Of warmth within,
In your heart,
In your being.
And realize this is a refuge,
A safe place,
Untouched by ailment or adversity,
Always available to you.
And all you need to do is to turn your attention within.
So can you allow yourself to be nourished here in this refuge,
In that eternal summer within?
Feel that this is happening right now,
That you are being revitalized,
Safely held,
Supported in this refuge,
In this space within.
And rest here.
Aware,
Connected,
Allowing and trusting what arises here as you rest.
Allowing yourself to feel it in your body,
Heart,
Mind.
Allowing it to flow from you to others,
To the world,
Igniting little sparks of creativity,
Love and connection,
Just like the sunlight brings out blossoms,
Plants,
Fruits.
And rest here for as long as you wish,
Even once the sound of the singing bowl has ceased.
