10:01

Cultivating Awareness (No Music)

by Meg James Hampton

Rated
5
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
34

Cultivating awareness and appreciation of the interconnectedness of all beings -- beginning with YOU. Settle in, breathe, and anchor yourself in the present moment through the senses. Use a gentle three-part breath to drop in, combined with cues and brief periods of quiet. This meditation can be completed seated or lying down. You may add music or ambient sounds to this audio track from Insight Timer's library. Suggested background audio tracks: "Secret Garden" or "Limitless"

AwarenessBreathingMindfulnessGratitudeVisualizationMettaInterconnectednessBody AwarenessSound AwarenessPosture AwarenessBreath AwarenessBody Sensation AwarenessGratitude PracticeBreathing PatternHeart VisualizationInterconnectedness Awareness

Transcript

Welcome to your practice.

Please take the next few moments to settle in,

Finding a posture lying down or seated so that you may fully envelop your breath and invite more length into the spine.

Shifting your weight,

Making any adjustments that help you to feel the most comfortable for the next few moments of meditation.

And then as you are aware of your breathing in and out,

Allow your ears to begin to take in and notice the various sounds around you,

Perhaps noticing the sounds closest to you first,

And then gradually extending your awareness further and further away.

Become aware of any sensations in the body,

Anywhere that may be holding warmth,

Lightness,

As well as any tension or tightness,

And experiencing the body as a very capable self-healing organism and offering gratitude for all of the work that it does to sustain your life.

And when you feel ready,

Begin to experience a richer,

Deeper,

And more full breath.

If you like,

Closing the lips first and beginning to take inhales and exhales through the nostrils,

Or if you like,

Closing the mouth and inhaling through the nose Slow inhale for three,

Two,

One.

Exhale,

One,

Two,

Three.

Inhale,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale,

One,

Two,

Three.

You may continue to work with this breathing pattern or extend further,

Perhaps taking it to a four or five count.

And remaining aware of the breath,

Now begin to notice the space between the sounds,

That emptiness around the vibration you experience and offering the same curiosity to the space as the sound.

And please notice the length of each inhale and exhale right now.

Can you match the rhythm of the breath in to the breath out?

And perhaps offering some gratitude for our ability to focus attention,

Narrowing it to the tiniest pin drop or expanding our awareness.

How shifting our attention,

Our awareness can shift how we experience life in each and every moment.

And as you continue to breathe,

Whether lying down or upright,

Please bring your hands to rest at the heart space.

Noticing the rise and fall of the chest as you shift your sensation,

Awareness to the heart space,

The heart center,

Anahata Chakra.

And actually envisioning a bright light here.

Radiating light whose awareness is also that of sensing energy,

Vibration,

Sound,

Tone,

Feeling.

And offering wonderment of this sensing,

Feeling organ.

I'm thinking of the heart's ability to radiate that light energy,

Perhaps just to the heart.

The heart's ability to radiate that light energy,

Perhaps just a centimeter beyond you or extending it to the furthest pin drop.

Becoming aware of the heart's capability.

I'm sending love,

Metta,

Loving kindness or healing energy beyond its chambers,

Extending out into the world.

Perhaps appreciating its intuitiveness.

Its sensitivity.

Are you able to sense the delicate relationship between the heart and lungs?

How each of those long inhales and exhales through the nose gently massages the heart.

How one supports the other without ever asking to return the favor.

Appreciating the interconnectedness of all aspects of the body.

And extending that appreciation to the interconnectedness of all beings everywhere.

Continue to rest your hands at the heart space,

Perhaps taking this time to set an intention to lead with heart.

To notice and appreciate its capability,

Its strength and vulnerability.

Now releasing any breath control.

Allow the breath to become soft.

Perhaps letting out some heavy sighs with a big breath in through the nostrils and an exhale through the mouth.

Perhaps taking a big sigh.

Perhaps releasing some heavy sighs through the mouth,

Taking a big breath in through the nose first.

Exhale,

Let it out.

Ah,

Dissolving any tension,

Releasing any holding.

The light in me honors the light in you.

Thank you so much for sharing your practice.

Meet your Teacher

Meg James HamptonNorth Carolina, USA

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© 2026 Meg James Hampton. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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