Hello and welcome to the Daily Insight.
My name is Anne-Marie Rowley and I'm a meditation teacher in Melbourne,
Australia.
And it's a pleasure to be with you here on Insight Timer today.
This session is a simple step-by-step mindfulness practice in which we gift ourselves a few moments of space for inner silence,
Stillness and peace.
Let us view ourselves as beginners without any expectations or judgements.
Sit in a comfortable position,
On the floor on a cushion with legs crossed.
You may need folded blankets or pillows beneath your knees if they need to be supported.
Or you can sit in a chair with your feet planted firmly on the ground.
Be in a cosy space where it is unlikely you will be disturbed and perhaps wrap yourself in a blanket to feel warm and snug.
Sit with a straight back.
Gently lengthen your neck by lifting the crown of the head towards the ceiling.
Eyes softly closed.
Tilt your hips slightly forward as this will keep your spine upright and straight.
Drop your shoulders.
Release all burdens you may be carrying upon your shoulders today.
Your head is erect.
Hands on your lap or knees and palms facing upwards in an attitude of giving and receiving.
Taking a long,
Deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth with pursed lips as though you were blowing through a straw.
Do this with me now.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Slow the breath down and feel the breath spread throughout your whole being.
Every time you breathe out,
Feel the tension,
Fatigue and strain leave your body.
Your eyes are softly closed.
Feel as though you are going deep within the eyes.
Drop the jaw.
And again.
And again.
Soften your cheeks.
Feel all tension leave your face and your neck.
Feel as though you are melting into the quiet earth.
You may be aware of the sounds around you too.
Hear them.
But don't attach to them.
Just allow them to come and to go.
Tap into the sensations in the body.
Perhaps you are feeling heavy or light.
Warm or cool.
Tense or relaxed.
Give your mind something to focus upon rather than allowing it to frolic about in a melee of distractions and aversions.
Just observe.
Become a witness to your mind and its emotions.
And if thoughts keep arising and they are annoying you,
Just allow them to pass by.
The knack is not to pay them attention,
Just to observe them.
This is what mindfulness feels like.
And as we enter a state of quiet and stillness in body and mind,
We become more and more aware and we arrive into the present moment.
That place of pure rest.
For your intention is to quiet the restless mind.
And now bring your awareness back to the room and rest your hands at your heart.
Honor yourself for having taken this time to be kind to yourself and to nurture your body,
Mind and spirit.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om Peace Peace Peace
