In this meditation,
We'll focus on a mantra.
A mantra is a short sound,
Word,
Or phrase that we repeat silently to ourselves.
Mantras can also be chanted aloud.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable seat.
Rest your hands on your lap with your palms facing up.
As you close your eyes,
Begin to follow your breath in and out.
Just like the flowing ocean waves,
Feel the breath move in through the nose and effortlessly fill your lungs.
And then gently release the breath through the nose,
Like the waves rolling out to sea.
Let's take a few rounds of breath together,
To a slow count of 4 in and out.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4.
With each breath,
Allow a wave of relaxation to wash over you.
Feel yourself becoming more and more relaxed and at ease.
Now return to a natural breath.
Today we'll be focusing on an ancient Sanskrit mantra.
It's called Ananda Hum.
Ananda means joy or bliss.
It's a deep sense of contentment that is boundless.
The word Hum translates as I am or I exist.
Taken together,
Ananda Hum means my true nature is boundless joy.
You may wonder,
If my true self is happiness and bliss,
Why don't I feel that way much of the time?
Well,
The worries,
Fears,
And demands of life can pile up on us and we may lose that connection to the calm,
Joyful center that is always within us.
This mantra will help us peel away those layers of stress and worries.
In that way,
We can begin to train our mind to focus on the positive and to release any negative thoughts that arise.
Repeat to yourself now,
Ananda Hum.
Ananda Hum.
My true nature is joy.
I embody happiness and contentment.
Ananda Hum.
Ananda Hum.
My true nature is boundless joy.
You can choose to repeat the Sanskrit mantra by itself or combine it with the English expression.
Ananda Hum.
Ananda Hum.
My true nature is boundless joy.
Ananda Hum.
Ananda Hum.
My true nature is boundless joy.
Continue to repeat this mantra to yourself and I'll keep track of the time.
You'll hear a soft bell to mark the beginning and end of our meditation time together.
If thoughts or sensations distract you,
Without judgment,
Gently bring your focus back to repeating the mantra.
Ananda Hum.
Ananda Hum.
My true nature is boundless joy.
Ananda Hum.
Ananda Hum.
My true nature is boundless joy.
Continue to repeat this mantra to yourself.
On your next in-breath,
Start to let go of the mantra.
Begin to deepen your breath and tune back into the sensations in your body and start to notice the sounds around you.
Enjoy a few more moments of stillness here as you observe the flow of the breath in and out,
Just like the ocean waves rolling onto shore and back out to sea.
The natural cycle of life moving through you effortlessly.
Rest here as long as you like,
Observing this sense of bliss and tranquility within you and all around you.
In your own time,
When you're ready,
Slowly begin to flutter the eyes open.
Remember that your true nature is boundless joy.
This is your birthright.
Namaste.
