Making yourself comfortable,
Preferably with a straight back,
But without pushing or straining,
Just a stable posture.
Please close your eyes or just have them downcast on the floor if you prefer.
Invite you to take three slightly slower,
Slightly deeper breaths down into the belly,
Through your nose if you can.
Allowing any tightness or tension in the body to just dissolve,
Letting yourself ease into neutral.
For this practice,
I invite you to be open,
Curious and receptive.
Relaxing your face.
Releasing your brow.
Your eyes relaxed.
Your mouth.
Your tongue relaxed in your mouth.
Is your jaw unclenched?
Releasing tension by rolling your shoulders backwards and down.
And down,
Releasing and loosening tension in your body from the top of your head to the base of your feet.
Allowing a wave of relaxation to flow through you.
Calming.
Releasing.
Relaxing.
Consciously letting your body relax while keeping the mind focused in this practice.
This practice is about noticing and accepting everything that comes up without judgement or reaction.
Sometimes called effortless presence.
Or opening your mind to the entireness of your environment.
It's a practice of letting go and just existing.
Not getting so caught up with distractions like we are want to do.
Pure acceptance.
Letting the body relax while the mind is aware and focused.
Allowing presence to gently arise in your practice.
Taking another two conscious breaths in.
Calming.
Releasing.
Relaxing.
Mind focused.
Merging our thinking mind and our feeling body.
We are noticing and observing.
Metacognition.
Is being aware of and understanding your own thought processes.
Or you could say it's aware that you're aware.
Noticing what is.
Building a spacious awareness.
Becoming very present.
Awareness of both the body and the breath.
Accepting everything moment by moment.
Opening your senses.
Can you notice any sounds where you are?
Can you feel the tactile sense of the clothes against your skin?
Can you notice any smells?
Noticing darkness with your eyes closed.
Feeling the contact of your feet with the ground.
Feeling your hands gently in your lap.
Are there any emotions,
Feelings or thoughts?
If there is just accepting everything.
No judgement.
Sitting and noticing.
Observing without reaction.
Accepting that everything is transient.
The good and the bad will pass eventually.
Taking another conscious breath in.
Releasing.
Relaxed.
Calm.
Knowing you always have choices.
How you choose to respond to your environment.
And that is what influences your current reality.
As a metaphor.
Your circumstances.
Your thoughts.
Your feelings.
And your sensations in the body.
Could be compared to the crazy turbulent winds of a hurricane.
When we have our regular mindfulness practice.
It can help us to observe.
Remain calmer.
And not get so swept up by turbulent emotions.
Feelings and thoughts.
We learn to be okay.
Sitting in the quiet metaphorical eye of the storm.
Noticing and responding.
Embracing the concept of being okay.
Even if not feeling okay.
Just letting the emotional storm pass.
Settle.
Calm.
Everything is transient and passes.
Not getting so caught up in any habit of reacting.
Or needing to do something.
Letting go.
Simply being and aware.
Awareness of everything.
Without any need to react.
Judge.
Or respond.
Sitting quietly just for a short time.
Noticing everything.
However without judgement or reaction or triggering any further thought.
Just noticing,
Acknowledging.
While practicing the circle of thought.
That is mind focusing.
Mind wandering.
Noticing that it has and refocusing.
The circle of thought helps us powerfully build our observing mind.
Thank you.
Aware of being aware.
Listening our need to feel compelled to respond.
To stimulus.
The thoughts,
Feelings,
Emotions,
Sounds.
Growing your ability and skills to be less distractable.
Finishing up shortly.
Taking another breath.
Body relaxed,
Mind focused.
You may like to remember how you feel right now.
And notice the quality of your mind.
And sustain this going forward.
When it's time for you.
Open your eyes.
Stretch or move around.
Maybe even a smile.
Thank you.
