Hello and welcome to The Daily Insight.
My name is Andrew Johnson.
In today's meditation we will be focusing on returning to the present moment.
Wishing you a restorative practice.
So taking some time now to sit or lie down.
Just becoming comfortable however you're sitting or lying.
Take a nice gentle deep breath in and as you breathe out close your eyes.
Allow your eyes to gently close and relax.
Your eyes work so hard for you it's nice to give them a little rest.
Today we'll be focusing on returning to the present moment.
And we'll be looking at three entry points to returning to the present moment.
Now,
Here,
This.
Now,
This moment,
This perfect moment.
The only moment that we are in control.
For many of us our minds can wander back into past events.
It's important to grow and expand and learn from past events.
But we know that there are things that happened in the past that keep coming back into our thoughts.
Those unneeded,
Unnecessary,
Tiresome,
Troublesome past thoughts.
Bring them towards you now.
Back to the present moment.
The only moment that there is.
We know that there are times where it's important to think what's going to happen in the future.
For planning and goal setting,
Setting intentions.
But we're also aware that our mind can wander into unnecessary,
Unneeded,
Tiresome,
Troublesome worries about the future.
Bring those thoughts towards you now.
Gently guide them back to the present moment.
Until you're fully in the present moment.
Now,
The only moment that we are in control.
The only moment that there is.
Here,
In this space.
Sitting or lying down.
On the chair or on the bed.
They themselves are on the floor.
The floor on the foundations.
The foundations rooted into the earth.
Bring yourself here,
To this space.
Now.
And then this.
This sensation of being here.
Now.
This awareness of your breathing.
The awareness of your breathing that you only notice now,
As I mention it.
This sensation of heaviness within the body.
This sensation of heaviness that you only notice when I mention it.
Now.
And this sensation of being totally present energetically.
This sensation that you notice only when I bring your awareness to it.
Now.
In this moment.
Here.
In this space.
And taking some time.
Now.
To be here.
To be this.
Ice.
You.
Of course,
Anything that you are experiencing now and here is perfect for you.
There are always distractions.
In meditation,
In relaxation,
Heading towards sleep,
In mindfulness,
The mind can wander.
Most thoughts are trivial,
They are of no concern.
You can let them pass.
You can step back from them.
And you can use any passing thoughts to your advantage.
You can use any passing thoughts to be signals for you to drift deeper within.
To bring yourself back to now,
Here,
Experiencing this.
And of course,
In any meditation,
Relaxation,
Heading towards sleep or mindful practice,
There will be external noises.
These noises come and go,
And go to come again.
The vast majority are trivial,
They are of no concern.
You can notice them and step back.
From the observer.
And as you do so,
They lose any power.
And you can use any external noises that pass by to your advantage.
You can use any external noises to be signals for you to drift deeper within.
Signals that bring you back to now,
Here,
Experiencing this.
And of course,
In any meditation practice,
Any relaxation,
Heading towards sleep or mindful practice,
There will be times that the body feels physical sensations.
And most physical sensations within the body are trivial,
They are of no concern.
They come and go,
And go to come again.
And you can step back from physical sensations.
You can remove their power.
You can become the observer.
And you can use any physical sensations that pass through you to your advantage.
You can let any physical sensations that pass by to become signals for you to drift deeper within.
Bringing yourself back to now,
To here,
To this.
And isn't it nice to realise how simple this procedure is?
How gentle?
How easy?
Bringing yourself back to this moment,
Now.
Inhabiting the space,
Here,
And allowing everything to pass through you,
Without judgement,
Without adding energy.
Bringing yourself to experience this.
Now,
Here,
This.
And of course,
The simplest reminder of the present moment,
Is to follow your breathing.
Your breathing,
Now.
Your breathing,
Here.
This breathing.
The flow of the air around your nostrils.
Perhaps the difference in temperature between the in-breath and the out-breath.
The subtle movements of your chest and stomach as you breathe in and out.
In and down and up and out.
Now,
This very moment.
Here in this space.
And this breathing.
This temperature.
This flow.
This movement.
Here.
You And become aware that as you breathe out as you exhale It seems as if with each exhalation You're drifting deeper into the now Deeper into the space here Deeper into this breathing Spend a few moments Now here this And bringing your awareness to your fingers now Giving them a little wiggle Bringing your awareness to your toes giving them a little wiggle A gentle stretch of the hands and feet a Gentle stretch of the arms and legs a Deeper in breath now an awakening in breath and a slow release of the exhalation your body waking One more awakening breath in and out And knowing that you're returning to normal everyday sensations and weight and energy and also returning With a much deeper and long lasting awareness of the present moment The only moment that you are in control The only moment there is And gently opening your eyes and returning to the day Be gentle with yourself
