Introduction To Meditation

Hi,

This is Hayley Evans and this is Beginners Meditation.

For today's session,

It is important that you have a comfortable chair to sit in,

That your back is nicely supported,

That you might have a blanket close by and definitely a glass of water with you.

In your seat,

It is important to be sitting upright,

With your feet firmly planted on the floor,

Getting as much coverage as possible through the soles of your feet.

Your knees should be at 90 degree angle,

Your sits bones evenly on your seat,

As I said earlier,

With some support at your back,

Sitting up straight so that you are not arched one way or another.

Your back is nice and straight,

Comfortable,

Your neck is up tall and your head is straight with your eyes gazing forward.

Now close your eyes and gently,

Just a fraction,

Tuck your chin into your neck so that you are opening up the back of your neck.

This position that you're in allows the energy to flow freely and easily through your central meridian,

Which is basically the centre line through your body and follows your spinal column.

Your hands are going to rest comfortably on your thighs,

You can move them up or down,

Sliding up or down on your thighs,

To find a position that's comfortable for you,

For your shoulders and for your elbows.

For the first part of this meditation,

We are going to have our palms facing down,

This will help us ground into the earth as well as sort of stabilise and settle into the room that we're in.

For this first meditation,

We're going to go for three minutes and really focus on breathing.

The breathing for meditation is a longer,

Deeper,

Softer breath,

However the key here is that it's comfortable,

That you are not taking too long on your inhale or taking too long on your exhale,

That you are feeling forced to either get a breath or blow out a breath.

As I said,

Comfort is key.

Breathing in meditation is really key because breathing allows us to quieten our bodies down,

To create some stillness around us and allow us to really come within and connect with ourselves.

The breathing that is most helpful for meditation is what I call the baby breath,

And if you watch babies when they breathe,

On their inhale,

They are expanding out their belly and filling their entire abdomen and their chest with air.

On the exhale,

They are releasing everything down with the abdomen sinking down last.

This is the kind of breathing that you want to create a habit of,

Especially for meditation.

For today though,

It's best to simply just concentrate on your breathing,

Understanding what it feels like to take a nice long inhale and what it feels like to feel that release on the exhale.

Most of us tend to breathe very shallow,

Where we are breathing with just the top half of our chest.

This is very common and a typical habit of us given our daily lives in this day and age.

So going straight into the full baby breath where you are breathing from pretty much your pelvic floor all the way up is going to be a challenge,

So it is a practice and you will find that the more that you practice meditation with this kind of breathing,

The deeper your breath will be and the sort of fuller that your breathing will become.

For the first three minute meditation,

I will be keeping track of the time.

So for you,

Just get comfortable,

Close your eyes,

Settle into your seat,

Allow your palms to face down comfortably on your thighs and become aware of your breathing.

Take a nice long deep inhale and a nice long deep exhale before you settle into your own rhythm that is comfortable for you,

Where you are just noticing what your body does on the inhale,

What your body does on the exhale,

Noticing on the inhale where it is catching if you are getting a full chest of breath,

If you are getting into your belly,

Allowing this time to get comfortable with your surroundings,

Getting used to the noises around you,

Getting used to the silence that is around you,

And then coming back to your breath,

Focusing on the inhale and the exhale at your own speed,

Whatever is comfortable for you.

On your next inhale,

Slowing it down just a little bit,

Taking it a little bit deeper,

And following that through on your exhale,

Allowing your exhale to soften,

To deepen,

And now finding a comfortable rhythm with the deeper,

Softer inhale,

The deeper,

Softer exhale,

Keeping your awareness with your breath,

Breathing in and breathing out.

On your next inhale,

Taking it just a little bit softer,

A little bit more deeper,

But still comfortable.

On your exhale,

Taking that softer and deeper,

Feeling now that your breath has slowed down just a little,

Allowing yourself to relax into this new rhythm.

Breathing at your own pace,

Remembering that comfort is key.

On your next inhale,

Softly,

Slowly opening your eyes,

Allowing them to show you the room,

And noticing that perhaps there's a little more stillness around you,

A little more quiet.

So that was three minutes of just breathing and meditating,

And that's pretty much what meditation is,

Just softening and coming into stillness within your own body and becoming aware of you in your body.

If you need to,

Wiggling around in your seat to get comfortable,

Maybe having a sip of water,

And now getting ready for a little bit longer.

We're going to go for six minutes doing exactly the same thing,

Just being conscious of our breathing,

Feeling what the inhale is,

Feeling what the exhale is,

And every other breath when you're comfortable,

Starting to slow it down a little bit and go a little bit deeper.

For this six-minute meditation,

It's typical for the mind to start getting used to what you're doing and wanting to wander,

Either with grocery lists or hearing new sounds or figuring out what you need to do after the meditation.

It is key in meditation to include your mind in the meditation,

Invite it to the party,

Allow it to be a part of the breath,

Allow it to show you what the body does when you're breathing,

Allow it to give a texture,

A feel,

A color to the air that you're breathing in and out.

Any time that your mind wanders during the next six minutes,

Just remember to invite it back in and feel free to have a conversation with it,

Sort of saying,

Hi,

I see you,

We're meditating right now,

How about you come in and be a part of the body.

So now getting ready for the six minutes.

Again,

I will keep track.

I will also guide you through this meditation,

However,

It will be a little bit less guiding,

So don't be concerned when there are longer periods of silence.

I'm absolutely still here.

I'm absolutely still keeping track of the time and I'm absolutely still a part of your meditation.

So getting comfortable again in your seat,

Getting comfortable with your hands,

And if you need to slide them backwards and forwards on your thighs to find a comfortable position where your elbows and your shoulders are comfortable.

For this meditation,

We're going to flip our hands open so that the palms are facing up and in a receiving position.

Now closing eyes,

Tucking the chin in just a little bit to open up the back of the neck.

Taking in a nice long inhale.

Releasing it with a nice long exhale.

And in your own time,

Finding that comfortable rhythm of breath that you left off a few moments ago.

Becoming aware of the inhale.

Becoming aware of the exhale.

Noticing where your inhale is catching.

Noticing if you're exhaling all the way.

And if necessary,

Take a nice long inhale,

A nice long exhale to relax into your natural breathing rhythm.

For the next couple minutes,

Just breathe at your rhythm.

Feeling the rise of the inhale.

Feeling the release of the exhale.

Inviting the mind to come into the meditation.

To inform you what the breath feels like.

To inform you what the body does when you inhale and you exhale.

Allowing your mind to be present for every part of the inhale and every part of the exhale.

On your next inhale,

Slowing it down,

Taking it deeper.

Following that through on your exhale.

Slowing it down just a little bit.

Allowing it to go a little bit deeper.

Relaxing into your new rhythm now.

As you allow your body,

Your mind to adjust to the slower,

Softer inhale.

The slower,

Softer exhale.

On your next inhale,

Once again taking it slower,

A little bit more deeper.

Still being comfortable.

Following it through to your exhale.

Allowing the release to go deeper,

Softer.

And naturally finding your inhale.

Maintaining the softness,

The slowness.

Allowing your body now,

Your mind to relax into this new rhythm.

Allowing your mind now to notice the space that is created on your slow,

Soft inhale.

Soft inhale.

Allow it to show you and feel the release on the exhale.

On your next inhale,

Taking it even a little more slower,

A little bit more deeper.

Still comfortable,

Still easy.

Following it through on your exhale.

Feeling the release as you relax into your body,

Into your breath.

As you become fully aware that your body is breathing as you observe.

Now settling into this new,

Slower,

Deeper rhythm.

Still being comfortable.

Still just focusing on your breathing.

Being aware of the rise of the inhale.

The release of the exhale.

On your next inhale,

Softly and gently opening your eyes.

Allowing them to show you the room.

Allowing your mind to gaze and look around the room.

Now bringing your mind back into your body.

With your eyes open,

Come back to your breath.

Slow it down,

Take it deeper.

Still with your eyes open,

Finding that soft,

Slow rhythm of your breathing.

Wiggling your fingers now,

Your toes.

Coming fully present into the room again.

With your eyes open.

That was six minutes of meditating and breathing.

Well done.

I'm sure you felt like it went really quickly and that you're ready now to go for ten minutes.

For the next ten minutes,

Again we're going to do exactly the same.

Focusing on our breathing,

Slowing it down,

Taking it deeper.

Feeling the rise of the inhale.

Feeling the release of the slow and deep exhale.

Inviting your mind to be a part of the meditation.

Allowing it to speak to you,

To have a conversation with you.

Allowing it to inform you that your chest is now having a significant rise.

That there is a significant release now on the exhale.

Allowing it to inform you that the muscles between your ribs are moving.

Meditation is not always about stillness and quiet of the mind.

Meditation is about aligning your mind with your heart,

With your body.

So having a conversation with your mind in meditation is perfectly okay to get started with.

So give yourself a few seconds right now to wiggle around.

Get comfortable again.

Maybe have a sip of water.

Stand up if you need to.

And when you're ready,

Relax back into your seat.

Making sure that your feet are firmly planted on the floor.

Getting as much coverage with your feet on the floor.

Your knees are at 90 degrees.

Your sits bones are evenly and comfortably on your seat.

You have some back support.

You're sitting up straight.

Neither arched or curved in any direction.

That your head is up straight.

Tucking your chin in just a little bit to get that nice opening at the back of your neck.

For the next 10 minutes,

We will meditate with our hands open again.

Palms facing the ceiling.

And again,

Closing our eyes and getting ready for breathing and quietness and the conversation with your mind.

With your eyes closed now,

Taking in a nice long,

Deep inhale.

And releasing it with a nice long,

Deep exhale.

If you need to again,

Take a nice long inhale.

And a nice long exhale.

And then coming to your rhythm that is comfortable to you.

That is your own breathing rhythm.

Bringing your mind now into your body.

Inviting it to be aware of the inhale.

To be aware of the exhale.

And now slowing it down,

Taking it deeper,

Finding that slow,

Deep rhythm.

Of your inhale.

Of your exhale.

Still finding comfort in your breathing.

Still feeling it with ease.

No longer being concerned of where it's catching.

Just really now focusing on the length,

The softness,

The deepness of your inhale.

Following that through on your exhale.

Releasing softly,

Slowly,

All the way down.

Finding comfort now in this rhythm.

Allowing your body to relax into it.

Allowing your mind to relax into this rhythm.

On your next inhale,

Taking it a little bit slower.

Taking it a little bit deeper,

A little bit softer.

Following that through on your exhale.

Slow,

Soft,

Deep exhale.

Finding a new rhythm now.

Relaxing into this new rhythm.

Be aware of the rise of your chest when you now inhale.

The easy relaxed release.

When you exhale.

Settling into this new rhythm.

With some ease.

Being completely aware of your inhale and your exhale.

On your next exhale,

As you release softly,

Slowly,

Allow your shoulders to drop back and down.

Noticing on the inhale,

There's a little more space now.

To fill softly,

Slowly with air.

Following that through now to your exhale.

Soft,

Slow,

Deep.

Finding your rhythm.

Finding your comfort.

Finding your ease.

Allowing your mind to focus on your ribs as they expand and release.

On your next inhale,

Slowing the expansion.

Allowing a little more air to fill the area.

Following that through on your exhale.

Feeling the release in your chest.

The relaxation.

Saying hello,

Thank you and goodbye to any thoughts that come through your mind.

And now bringing your focus back to your breath.

Back to feeling and observing the inhale.

Back to feeling and observing the exhale.

Slowing everything down.

Taking it a little bit softer,

A little bit deeper.

On your next inhale,

Opening your eyes softly,

Slowly.

Allowing them to focus on what's in front of you.

Allowing your mind to direct your eyes to look around.

And now bringing your mind back into your body.

With your eyes open,

Coming back to your breath.

Slowing it down.

Finding that rhythm that is soft,

Slow and deep.

Keeping your eyes open as you allow your body to relax into this rhythm.

Noticing even with your eyes open.

There is some quiet,

Some stillness,

Some calm around you.

Relaxing into your breath.

Enjoying this moment.

Enjoying the feeling of complete alignment between your body,

Your mind and your heart.

Now wiggling your fingers,

Wiggling your toes.

Coming fully present with your eyes open into your body.

Your legs or your arms have fallen asleep.

Moving them around,

Getting the blood flowing again.

If you need to stand up and shake it out,

Let that happen.

That was just over 10 minutes.

So you meditated for 10 minutes with your eyes closed and about a minute and a half with your eyes open.

Well done.

So altogether today you've done almost 20 minutes of meditation.

Just by breathing and finding some stillness,

Some quiet,

Some calm around you.

So ideally now taking this forward into your daily practice,

I really recommend that you sit in the same spot and find a time of day that is convenient for you.

For some people that's in the morning,

For some people it's midday,

For some people it's in the evening.

For some people it is when they're going to bed.

And really for the beginning,

Try and meditate for five or six minutes.

And it's important to keep it short for the first week or two so that you're creating some momentum and some motivation.

The more comfortable you get with the shorter meditations,

The more exciting you are to taking them a little bit longer.

So as I said,

For the first week or two,

Stick with five or six minutes.

When you feel comfortable with that,

Extend it by a minute or two,

Practice that for a couple weeks and then extend it for a little bit longer.

If you're one of those people that would like to meditate before you go to bed,

I recommend that you do it,

As I said,

While you're in bed,

Just as you switch off the lights and turn it into a gratitude practice.

Where you close your eyes,

You soften,

You slow,

You deepen your breath and give thanks for the day,

Regardless of what went on,

Giving thanks for everything that happened,

For all the people that came into your life that day and for everything that you did.

And then it's okay to drift off into sleep.

If you have any questions or would like to leave any comments,

Please feel free to do so.

And I look forward to teaching you on the next couple series.

Thank you.