Hi there.
Welcome.
Alright,
Today we are doing a meditation.
I have been doing this series on loving kindness meditation and the series continues.
So find a comfy seat please.
However you'd like to sit in a chair on the ground.
If you're new to meditation it may take some time for you to find what's comfortable.
You know whether on the ground,
In a chair or the amount of props or what kind of props you use.
So if you do find yourself to still be a little fidgety in your body then just be patient.
It takes time.
Move the flesh of your bottom back and whatever you're sitting on and scoot forward.
So your sitting bones are to the front of your prop allowing the tailbone to gently stick out.
It will feel as if the abdomen,
The lower belly softens.
I feel like I'm going to sneeze.
Sometimes it goes away when I say that.
And so with the abdomen soft and the lower back open the legs will start to soften out of the hip sockets.
So if you're in your chair,
Feet,
Soles of the feet,
Rooted to the earth,
Hip width or shoulder width.
And on the ground I open my knees as much as I can,
Align the heels down the center.
Palms down on your legs please.
If you feel comfortable closing your eyes,
That's my preference,
Then do that.
Otherwise find your gaze on one spot that doesn't move,
Eyes half open half closed.
Welcome a deeper breath filling the lower belly on the inhale.
Exhale out of the mouth and feel bones of your body being pulled to the earth on the exhale.
Do this a few times when you welcome the breath filling the navel like a balloon.
It helps you find your center.
Thoughts drop into the body,
Dissolve.
Exhale out of the mouth,
A suggestion of mind,
Body,
Heart to let go into the earth.
Two more.
Now keep that same integrity in the breath,
But we'll do a slow body scan by moving it through the body.
I call this the ascending descending breath.
So inhale from toe tips,
Rise breath awareness,
Fill belly,
Fingertips up spine to crown.
Exhale out of mouth,
Trace the same pathway back down,
Exiting tension,
Thoughts,
Expectation out of fingers and toes to the earth.
Continue please,
Slowing your breath,
Smoothing your breath.
And as you scan the body in this fashion,
Your awareness adheres to the breath.
As the breath rises,
Get taller,
Collecting what you notice,
Right?
Then exhale.
And then when you exhale,
Feel the bones drop and empty all observation.
And so when you inhale again,
It's as if starting anew,
A brand new breath,
A brand new moment.
And you're welcoming all of you as you scan,
Moving mind,
Body,
Heart,
Past,
Present,
Future.
And releasing the need to be a certain way in this meditation.
You arrive as you are,
Meet yourself where you are.
And that's where we begin.
Exhale here.
And now you can continue either of those breaths that I've taught you at any time,
Especially if you're feeling like your body needs to move or your mind starts thinking rapidly.
Take a bigger breath and see if you can use the breath to start anew.
Let's readjust the body.
Bottom flush back again,
Feet rooted,
Soles of feet if you're in your chair,
On the ground like me,
Knees wide.
Press into the hands and lift the breath some.
Notice how the tailbone sticks out a little bit.
In the lower back,
The lumbar vertebra curves inward,
Right into the spine.
And now squeeze the shoulder blades down the back.
Feel the heart high.
Lean the heart back over the tailbone,
Slight tuck of chin.
Feel base of skull wide,
As if the spine could extend through the crown of the hat.
Let the tongue soften,
Breathing.
Eyes either half open on one spot or eyes closed.
Let's interlace hands today.
Palms up,
Thumbs touch.
And choose right now to let the body be still for this short amount of time.
And watch the natural breath at the navel.
As you watch the natural breath at the navel,
The belly fills ever so slightly on the inhale.
When you exhale,
The belly softens.
Loving kindness meditation is using affirmative words that we speak to ourselves first and then offer to all,
All creation.
In the first time that you hear the phrase,
You just want to notice the immediate reactions.
Sometimes it's a telling of something about your character or where you are,
Meeting yourself where you are.
And then whatever it is that you observe and notice,
We'll just welcome in and continue with the phrases and see if it shifts,
See if it changes.
So you can repeat silently or aloud as you wash the natural breath at the navel.
Breath so soft.
I like to repeat the words on the inhale.
And then use the exhale to feel the words.
So may I be free.
May I be content.
May I rest in this moment.
Soft inhale at the belly.
May I be free.
Exhale,
Feel it.
Inhale,
May I be content.
Inhale,
May I rest in this moment.
And then every time you repeat the words as if downloading and memorizing them.
May I be free.
May I be content.
May I rest in this moment.
As if the cells are embodying the meaning in the words,
May I be free.
May I be content.
May I rest in this moment.
And now start to memorize them and we'll repeat them silently.
And if you forget a word,
Then you can use your own words,
Make it up words with the same meaning.
I'll repeat one more time aloud.
May I be free.
May I be content.
May I rest in this moment.
Continue to repeat silently please.
Breath so soft at the belly.
And then when you're ready,
We'll change I to all.
May all be free.
The exhale is to offer the words.
May all be content as you inhale,
Exhale.
Your heart offers the words a blessing.
May all be present.
May all rest in this moment.
May all be free.
May all be content.
May all rest in this moment.
May all be free.
Gentle inhale,
May all be content.
Now offering your heart.
May all rest in this moment.
Now please continue with all.
Now coming back to I when you're ready.
May I be free.
May I be content.
May I rest in this moment.
And let's go back and forth.
So one time now we'll go to may all be free.
May all be content.
May all rest in this moment.
Back to I and back to all silently.
Letting your heart soften.
Breath is soft.
Letting your heart soften.
Next time you finish the phrase,
Exhale,
Turn the palms up.
Inhale,
Circle the arms.
Palms down,
Exhale,
A little bit of clearing.
Settling.
Inhale,
Open the arms and high shoulders.
Exhale,
Hands to the heart.
Gentle bow.
Welcoming this experience.
And honoring it.
Holding it in your heart.
Right hand to the heart.
Left hand on top.
Cross right thumb.
This is the evil mudra.
J is a Hindi Sanskrit word.
It means praise or celebrate.
Your flow.
The flow that is your life.
The flow that's guiding you.
Your heart,
Your practice,
Your spirit.
May you follow it effortlessly.
Listen to its guidance and resist little.
So we say your flow.
J your flow.
Thank you.
