Find Calm In 5 Minutes

Hi there,

Welcome.

Today's practice is an invitation to explore total stillness.

By bringing complete stillness into your body,

You create the conditions for total stillness in your mind.

Stillness comes from two aspects,

Steadiness and ease.

So you will use bodily stability and mental intent,

In other words steadiness or sthira,

Alongside joyful ease and physical comfort,

In other words ease or sukha.

So let's find this by first of all choosing a very comfortable position.

It could be seated on the floor,

Maybe in a chair or even lying down.

Wherever you land,

Feel free to support yourself with props and cushions to find that ease.

Once you've arrived into your final position,

Take a deep breath out and now inhale through the nostrils.

Send your breath down to the bottom of your lungs so it's filling the belly and then exhale completely.

Inhale again,

Down into the belly and exhale.

As you exhale,

Allow your physical body to relax and soften.

Do this three more times,

Taking a deep breath in and exhaling completely at your own pace.

Now release all effort in your breath.

If you haven't already,

Close your eyes down and for the next three minutes,

Use strong awareness to stay completely still.

Nothing is moving,

Absolute stillness.

No eyelid twitching,

Finger scratching,

Everything completely still.

Keep scanning your body and feel for those areas where you want to move and then use strong willpower to stop yourself.

If you're successful in staying completely still for three minutes,

The mind will naturally start to soften,

To stop resisting and your mind will move freely into a meditative,

Calm state.

Well done.

Notice how calm your mind feels right now.

As you rest here,

Just for a few more moments,

Notice how the balance of steadiness and ease supports both your body and mind in gentle presence.

Carry the stillness and steadiness forwards into the rest of your day.

Take good care.

I'll see you soon.