This meditation can help quickly when you notice your thoughts or mood spiraling in a negative direction.
First,
Make sure your back is straight but not stiff.
Sit in a way that will help you feel present and awake.
And once you're comfortable,
You can close your eyes.
Start to notice any thoughts that arise.
As best as you can,
Try to notice your thoughts just as mental events.
Note them,
Note how they make you feel,
And turn your attention toward any feelings of discomfort or unpleasantness.
Rather than push those less pleasant feelings away,
Allow yourself to be with them.
Say to yourself,
Ah,
There you are,
That's how it is right now.
Now do the same with physical sensations in your body.
Become aware of what is there and turn toward anything unpleasant and just say,
Ah,
There you are,
That's how it is right now.
Now having stepped out of automatic pilot,
The next step is to collect your awareness by focusing on the movement of your breath.
You can start by focusing on the movement of your abdomen.
Notice the rise and fall of the belly as you breathe in and out.
Spend a few moments to focus on the movement of the abdomen breath by breath,
Moment by moment as best as you can right here,
Right now.
Be with the breath as it moves in and out of your body,
Binding your awareness to this process and to be in the present moment.
Now allow your mind to become aware of your entire body.
Allow your awareness to feel the spaciousness within your body.
You may still have some awareness of the breath but allow it to sit in the background.
Then allow your awareness to sweep your body.
Pay attention to the entire length of your body from head to toe.
Notice any tenseness or any sensation of holding or bracing yourself.
If you do notice a sensation,
Allow your attention to sit here for a few moments breathing into and out of this space.
Then return to noticing your whole body and the spaciousness within it.
Finally you will hear the chime of the meditation bells.
At the end of the third bell or when you're ready,
You can open your eyes and come back to the room.
