Welcome to a meditation of the senses.
In this meditation,
We'll invite awareness into all of the senses to help create focus and ease in the mind.
It's a perfect practice to use anytime you'd like to be more mindful or to use as a respite any time of the day.
When you are ready,
Allow yourself to sit in a position of comfort and ease.
You could sit on a blanket or cushion,
In a chair,
Or even lie down if it feels more comfortable to you.
Begin to establish a connection between your body and the surface beneath you.
Notice your sitting bones down into the earth,
Into the ground.
Find an evenness in the hips.
Lengthen through the low back and the belly.
Lift the ribs away from the pelvis.
Roll the shoulders forward,
Up,
Back,
And down.
Hands resting in a comfortable position.
Reach tall through the crown of the head,
Lengthening the spine.
As the physical body settles in,
Invite the eyelids to slide shut.
Begin to connect with the breath.
Soften the face,
Palms of the hands,
The belly,
And encourage the breath to flow with softness and ease.
Breathing through the nose if possible.
The eyes are the primary sense which we use to connect with the outside world.
Notice with the eyes closed if all of the other senses become more heightened or more aware,
More attuned to what is happening inside.
A sense of pratyahara drawing the focus inward.
What do you see with the eyes closed?
Are there any images,
Flickers of light,
Or color?
Notice all the details with this inner gaze.
What do you notice or see?
Now shift your attention to the ground you are sitting on.
Notice all the points of contact between your body and the earth beneath you.
Draw in a deep breath through the nose and release with an audible sigh out.
And allow your body to become a bit heavier on whatever surface you are sitting or lying on.
Feel the whole plane of contact between your body and the ground.
Notice the hands and fingers.
Do you feel textures beneath the fingertips?
Perhaps the touch or temperature of air on the skin?
Or the feel of the breath entering the nasal passages?
The weight of clothing on your body?
What do you feel?
Now draw awareness to the sense of hearing.
With the eyes closed,
Is the sense of sound heightened or more crisp?
Notice all the external sounds that you hear.
The sounds radiating outward.
Now focus on the loudest sound that you hear.
It could be a sound outside the space or inside the room you are practicing in.
The loudest sound.
Focus all of your attention on that sound.
Now shift awareness closer to you.
Notice in the room around you,
What is the quietest sound that you hear?
The quietest sound.
Now hear any subtle sounds from within.
It could be the sound of your breath or the beating of your heart.
Anchor the mind to the most internal sound and soften around the sound.
Follow it inside.
Follow it in.
Now shift your awareness to the sense of smell.
Notice any scents or fragrances that are near to you.
Recall any scents that feel comforting to you.
The smell of home.
Fresh flowers.
Or someone you love.
Now become aware of this sense of taste.
Notice any tastes or flavors as you sense and feel into the mouth.
What is most present.
Or recall a flavor or taste that feels comforting to you.
Notice the level of moisture in the mouth.
Now choose one of the senses that feels most present to you and follow it in.
As you breathe in and out.
What is most present?
Now let go of what you are following.
Bring your attention back to the breath.
Begin to breathe a fuller,
Deeper breath.
Bringing awareness to all of the senses fully.
You might gently rock your head from side to side.
Notice what you feel from this meditation of the senses.
When you are ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
You might bring your hands to connect at your heart.
Offering yourself gratitude for the time that you've given yourself.
The light in me greets and honors the light in you.
Aum,
Shanti,
Shanti,
Shanti,
Peace,
Peace,
Peace.
Aum,
Shanti,
Shanti,
Peace,
Peace.
Aum,
Shanti,
Shanti,
Peace,
Peace.
Aum,
Shanti,
Shanti,
Peace,
Peace.
Aum,
Shanti,
Shanti,
Peace,
Peace.
Aum,
Shanti,
Shanti,
Peace,
Peace.
