So this is a gently guided meditation to consciously cultivate our sense of being connected.
It may be especially useful in times when we cannot be physically present with the people or places that we love.
It will begin with a spoken section and then go into a period of gently guided practice.
In these times of perhaps less social contact than usual,
We must remember that there is still so much that we can connect to.
These strange global times are a potent opportunity for our home practice.
Relishing the connections that we do have to the world around us is a great way to make us more resilient and to get back to deep appreciation of the basic beauty of all we have around us.
There is so much life literally all around us that we can always choose to connect to.
There is the gorgeous green growing plant world which is literally pushing bulbs out of the ground and unfurling leaf buds at the tips of the trees as we said today.
Nature knows about circles and cycles and we can connect to the wisdom of the natural world to learn about trusting that everything,
Even the most testing of times,
Will eventually pass.
There is the moon that moves amongst us each night which I'm sure will be delighted if you looked up and shared some mindful moments with at the end of your day.
There are so many unseen things that we can connect to as well.
The wind blowing past will whisper hello through the leaves if we stop to listen.
So many of us have cell phones which 40 years ago would have been considered literally miraculous and we now live in times we can reach out to each other across the world at the press of a button.
We are listening to this meditation via a global app where millions of people are sitting together each and every day.
So in our meditation practice we are alone together.
I will say it again as we sit,
We sit alone together.
So let us begin practice now.
Let us practice presence in this moment.
We will find that sense of connection within us,
Within us right here and right now.
There is a powerful opportunity for our practice in these times.
So begin by taking a long breath in and breathe it out so slowly.
An in breath and a longer out breath.
Scientists have found that slowing our out breath decreases cortisol,
The stress hormone and literally calms us down helping us to feel more connected.
So take another breath in filling up your lungs from the bottom of your belly to the top of your ribcage and breathe it out again oh so slowly.
And again breathe in and breathe out for longer than you breathe in.
Breathing in slow,
I know that I am breathing in slow.
And breathing out slow.
Coming back to the basic goodness of our breath in this moment.
Continue with these in breaths and longer out breaths at a rate which is comfortable for you.
Please do keep on breathing and expressing non-con amusement and And as you breathe,
Also become conscious of this place in which you are sitting,
The surface underneath you.
Feel where it touches your body and the support that it offers you.
Feel the support of your spine soften your belly and soften your jaw.
Notice the way that the body supports us.
Coming back to the breath,
A soft in-breath and a longer out-breath.
Notice that you are breathing here now in this present moment.
Feel this place that you are practicing in.
It was likely shaped by other human hands.
Feel the support of the people that wired the electricity or painted your home or assembled our computers that we can listen on.
Feel the connection to the people who sewed the clothes you were wearing,
The people that grew and transported the last meal that you ate.
As you sit and breathe,
Feel your place here in this world.
Feel your connection in this present moment.
You are part of this world.
Place your hand on your heart and offer yourself some substance,
Some touch,
Some connection to yourself.
Here I am watching my breath,
Taking time to cultivate connection with myself,
To be present with myself.
Feel the touch of your own hand on your skin.
Continue to be with your breath,
Yourself,
The place you sit this moment,
Connected to all of that.
Maybe something softens inside of you when you take time to connect to yourself in this way.
You're making space for whatever is arising within us.
As the poet Rilke wrote,
Let everything happen to you,
Beauty and terror.
Just keep going.
Your feeling is final.
We are taking time to be with what is in these days,
To be with ourselves.
Breathing in slow.
I know I breathe in slow.
And notice the sense of increased connection with yourself.
I feel more intimate with your experience,
A sense of caring for yourself,
A sense of wishing yourself well.
Notice that feeling within your body,
Take it in.
And also send that sense of care out to those in your life.
Bringing to mind some people you cannot be with in this world.
Send them this tender sense of connection,
Of holding them in the heart,
Of wishing them well.
Notice how bringing them to mind can open a heart.
And now have a yawn and a stretch.
Soften the body and we'll prepare to come back to our days.
Go forth today and relish what you can.
Keep this sense of calmness and connection with you as you go.
Why not reach out by phone to someone you haven't spoken with for a long while?
Check in and see how they are doing.
Humans are remarkably resilient.
When our normal networks are down,
We can build new ones.
We can be the change we wish to see in the world.
And yes,
We must absolutely take precaution in these times.
And yet I deeply trust that maintaining a sense of delight and connection with this weird and wonderful world will do wonders in supporting our immune system,
In working well.
As Max Erman said writing way back in 1927,
With all its sham and drudgery and broken dreams,
It is still a beautiful world.
Be careful and strive to be happy.
With all of its sham and drudgery and broken dreams,
It is still a beautiful world.
Be careful and strive to be happy.
Thank you for your practice today and I wish you and your families and friends very much well in this earth of god things around us.
You
