10 minute beginner's meditation.
This is a short guided meditation that will help newbies understand how to begin quieting the mind by focusing on the breath and on bodily sensations,
Using these as anchors into the present moment.
Please find a sitting position with a straightened spine,
But without straining,
That allows you to be relaxed and comfortable,
But also alert.
Place your hands in your lap in a restful,
Easy position,
Perhaps with one hand sitting rested in the other.
Now close your eyes.
Start with a very long,
Slow in-breath,
Filling the lungs and abdomen.
Hold it briefly at the top.
And now slowly breathe out,
Feeling the sensations of letting go,
Softening down the length of your body as you let go.
Once again,
Breathe in slowly,
Filling the lungs.
Hold for a moment when you're full,
And then a slow out-breath,
Being aware of the sensations of relaxing,
Releasing,
Letting go.
Again a full deep inhalation.
Hold for a second,
And then a slow exhalation,
Just aware of the sensations of relaxing,
Releasing,
Letting go.
Now let the breath resume its natural rhythm,
Relaxing with the inflow,
Relaxing with the outflow,
Relaxing with the inflow,
Relaxing with the outflow.
Now starting with the face,
We're going to scan through your body from head to toe,
And wherever possible soften and release areas of obvious physical tension.
Let your brow be smooth,
Soften the eyelids,
View the darkened blank canvas in front of your eyes.
Listen and feel the breath in your nostrils.
Relax your cheeks,
Unhinge your jaw,
Perhaps part the lips very slightly,
Sense your tongue resting in your mouth,
And just breathe.
Just bring a small smile to the corners of your mouth,
And the corners of your eyes as well.
Feel your scalp relaxing,
Feel your ears relaxing,
Feel the back of your neck relaxing,
Down into your shoulders,
And just breathe.
On the next inhalation,
Feel the breath pulling itself into your heart,
Creating a sense of space,
The chest widening,
Maybe the shoulders relaxing back and down.
Sense the breath in your nostrils again,
The coldness of the in-breath on the interior surface of your nostrils,
The warm air flowing back outwards.
Now move your attention to your shoulders,
Feeling them from the inside out.
Breathe into the shoulders,
Sense them relaxing or loosening just that little bit more.
Move your awareness down your arms,
Through your elbows,
To your wrists and into your hands.
Feel the aliveness in your fingers,
Feel the energy circulating in the palms,
Tips of the fingers,
Soften your whole hands,
Feeling them from the inside out.
On the next inhalation,
Feel the air being received in the depths of your belly,
Feel your belly stretching out against any clothing you're wearing.
Then on your next out-breath,
Feel your belly softening.
Now sense your entire body as a field of awareness,
From the tips of your fingers,
Up your arms to your shoulders and head,
Down into your torso and onwards down into your legs,
Through your feet.
Sense the energy circulating,
A sense of aliveness,
Of warmth.
Now return to your breath.
Again feel the chill of the in-breath on the inside of your nostrils,
Feel your belly filling.
Then release the warmed out breath,
Slowly and naturally.
Again breathe in,
Sensing your lungs receiving the air.
Breathe out,
Feeling your torso relax.
Listen your attention once again to feel the whole body as in a field of aliveness,
Of sensation,
Of swirling energy all at once.
Keep that attention open,
Interested,
Not judging anything,
Not controlling anything,
Just observing,
Calmly and serenely.
As you breathe in,
Know that you're breathing in.
As you breathe out,
Know that you're breathing out.
Be aware of the beginnings and endings of each breath and the space in between.
Feel your awake and at home in presence.
You can use this practice any time of your day,
Simply bringing your attention to your breath,
Relaxing with the in-breath,
Relaxing with the out-breath,
Feeling the sensations in your body,
Bringing you back into presence.
