Hello,
And welcome.
Breath is the cornerstone of meditation.
To help you focus on your breath,
There will be periods of quiet in the meditation,
And that is by design.
Find a comfortable seated position.
Let your face and your body soften,
Feet flat on the floor.
Keep your back straight,
Nothing is rigid.
Imagine a drop line going from the top of your head down your back,
Parallel to your spine so that you're sitting up straight but relaxed.
Notice if you're balanced right to left and front to back.
Become grounded in your seat.
Rest your upper eyelids gently on your lower eyelids,
Your lips softly touching or apart,
With your jaw and forehead relaxed.
Feel your body be at ease.
With hands gently resting on your thighs or lap,
The palms may be facing up in a receptive position or down,
Which is more grounded.
Feel your stability,
Your muscles becoming heavy.
Bring your attention inward,
Focusing on your breath.
Breathing allows your body to teach your mind to be relaxed and open.
As your awareness is centered on your breath,
Simply observe your breathing in and out.
Your breath is not manipulated in any way.
You are simply observing your breath in and out.
Your breath is not forced in any way.
Observe any sensations as you breathe in and out.
These sensations may or may not occur.
If they occur,
Observe them and let them go.
If your mind starts to wander,
Simply redirect your attention and awareness back to your breath.
It is normal to have your thoughts wander.
Just return to your breath.
Just like training a muscle,
You are learning to train your mind.
Notice your posture.
If it has shifted in any way or if tension is present in any part of your body,
Consciously relax those muscles.
For example,
If your head has tilted forward,
You might want to straighten it.
Or if your shoulders have rounded,
Sit back up straight.
Make any adjustments and again bring your attention back to your breath.
If your mind has again wandered,
Redirect your attention and awareness back to your breath.
Let your muscles become heavy.
You are safe.
Continue to take deep,
Slow breaths in through your nose,
Pause and release gently.
Now let your breathing be at a pace that is comfortable for you for the next few minutes.
In a moment,
At the sound of the bell,
We will start to close the meditation.
Bring your attention gently back to the room,
Back to the present moment and when ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Gently move and stretch your muscles,
Wiggle fingers,
Wiggle toes.
Learning to meditate takes practice,
But there is no typical goal in mind.
It is simply being aware of your body and breath,
Being present right here and now as best you can.
Becoming comfortable with your practice may take time.
At the beginning,
Sitting for five minutes may feel like an eternity.
Trust that it becomes easier.
Feel free to repeat this meditation any number of times as you continue in your practice.
Thank you for your kind attention.
I wish you many blessings along with willingness and patience as you proceed one day at a time.
