Welcome to Softness with Backbone,
Bringing equanimity and wholeness to your being by softening your hardened front and fortifying what holds you up.
Vanda Scaravelli wisely shared,
The back of the body is as important as the front and it must regain its dignity.
So how can we locate more dignity throughout our bodies?
Aligning the message your face expresses to the outside world with the story your body holds tightly to.
We tend to place more attention on the front of our bodies.
Our face,
A sense of smell,
Expressions,
Through our senses we take in the world and our surroundings.
We often have learned mechanisms to protect ourselves from perceived danger,
When in reality there is nothing to fear in the moment.
So take a moment to find a comfortable seat.
Keep your eyes open for the time being.
Follow your breath as you settle in and slowly go inward.
Consider a time you found yourself casting your eyes downward,
Trying your best not to meet anyone's gaze,
Shopping in a store,
Walking down a street,
Or running errands,
Or even when you're at work in your office or desk.
Your mind is on the next task or where you need to get to,
Distracted by about a million other things.
You sit slumped at your desk or walk with your shoulders curled forward,
Chest concave,
Your back and spine hunched and tense.
Just for a moment,
Look ahead and away from your computer if you're at your desk,
Or look off to a point ahead wherever you are and take in whatever is in your line of sight,
Whether it be a tree outside your window,
The dresser in the corner.
See without naming each thing,
Simply becoming aware of objects.
And now,
Using your peripheral vision,
Without straining,
What can you take in?
See or sense anything to the left or the right of you.
As if you had eyes in the back of your head,
Now move your attention to the back of your skull without turning to look.
What do you see or sense?
Let's explore a little further in meditation.
Close your eyes if you haven't already.
Draw in a deep inhale.
Allow the breath to bring you into your seat.
On your exhale,
Feel the back of the hips becoming heavy,
Naturally drawing your seat downward.
Bring your awareness to the base of the spine,
The spine lengthening upward from the base of your seat along the back body toward the crown of your head.
Notice the back ribs gently shift as you breathe.
The center of your back rising and falling with each breath.
Gently move your attention to the space in between the shoulder blades.
Feel or sense the shoulder blades subtly widen on the inhale and as they glide back towards the midline on the exhale.
Feel the back body strong,
Filled with the breath.
Sense the subtle energy running from the base of the spine as vibration from your sacrum up along the back and neck all the way to the base of your skull.
The back muscles and spine fortified.
Holding the neck upright and your head level.
With this strong back bolstering you,
See if you can let your face soften a touch more.
Sense the upper chest rising and falling with the breath,
Keeping your front body soft and your back body strong.
Roshi Joan Halifax speaks about maintaining a strong back and soft front.
You can be in the world without the usual armor,
Your face open,
Your heart open,
Compassion arising from this felt sense of equanimity,
Greeting the world around you with joy and wonder versus dread or fear.
And as Ram Dass said,
When you go right in the middle of the marketplace with an open heart no matter what you encounter.
Of course,
This can be difficult or feel vulnerable at times.
But the minute you remember your ability to hold compassion and maintain boundaries,
You are on to something.
Remember,
Fortified back,
Soft receptive front.
Just keep breathing,
Allowing for more softening in your face,
Your chest,
Anywhere there is tension.
Knowing you are also deeply supported,
Protected,
Stable.
And maybe you can even let go of that hardening that can occur when you face your day or navigate tenuous situations.
Let the sensation of a softening in your heart and a strong backbone mingle in your mind's eye.
When you have that clear vision and you feel it throughout your body,
Front and back unified,
You can slowly open your eyes.
May you be upright and strong with an open heart.
Thank you.
