Hi there,
Paul Collis,
Sacred Spiral Yoga.
Let's begin this relaxing into stillness meditation the usual way,
With a few deep calming breaths.
So we'll take a comfortable seated posture with your back straight,
But not unnaturally stiff or forced.
Close your eyes,
Smile to yourself and relax a moment.
Be present-minded here and now,
Focusing gently on the breath helps a lot with this.
So we take a comfortable but full breath in,
Watching the process as you do.
Hold this breath a few moments and then let it go in a flush type out breath.
Be relaxed and keep noticing the breath and releasing any tension you become aware of in your body.
All right,
So let's take a second one.
Relax and then from empty lungs take a slow but steady full inhalation.
Hold this a few moments and then flash the air out.
Make this a very conscious exhalation.
Flash out more than just the breath.
Release and let go of stress and worries.
Release and let go of fears and even expectations.
On that flush type out breath,
Let us become as neutral as possible.
Neutral in mind,
Body and emotions.
Let us reach a feeling and mind frame of equilibrium,
Balance and harmony within all areas and aspects of our lives and within our very beingness.
Breathe quietly and naturally for a while longer,
Keeping awareness of this intent of establishing equanimity.
As you sit calmly and keep up awareness and breathe gently,
Notice that you may be becoming a little more still.
Stillness can be created internally on the mental and emotional levels.
Stillness will come in our body naturally as we gain greater calmness in mind and emotions.
Gentle but steady concentration is really helpful.
So if you find your mind wandering and you're possibly fidgeting a little or restless,
It's really important to not become frustrated or upset with yourself.
That noticing of the unrest or feeling of annoyance with self is in itself awareness.
So as long as we can maintain the observer mode of mind,
We are still in meditation.
We all lose the thread of our awareness many times as we go along.
This is very normal.
It takes regular practice to harness our attention and regulate it into a smooth unbroken mind flow.
What we are looking for today is a deep noticing that when we concentrate for a while,
For example on the breath,
We naturally become more still.
So notice now with full awareness the state of your body.
Notice any aches or discomforts.
Notice the state of your mind,
The quality of thought disturbance or placidity.
A bit like watching the surface of a pool of water.
Is it choppy and turbulent or calmer with gentle ripples?
Or is it still like a mirror glass?
Once again don't try hard to quieten the mind.
Rather aim to just be the observer of what is unfolding before you without judgment or interpretation.
We should know that even a few moments in the state of consciousness is valuable and of benefit.
With time and regular practice it becomes easier and we can hold the observer mode for longer.
This is similar to a listening mode.
So let's try this for a few moments.
Switch your attention to your hearing and listen to the sounds around you.
Listen to the sounds close by and listen to those far away.
Turn your attention in many different directions.
Try for a moment to hear sounds very far away,
Even beyond your usual range of hearing.
Just try it even if you cannot hear anything.
So listening,
Watching,
Feeling,
Sensing are all related states,
Useful for us to be able to assemble easily.
And we achieve this by familiarity and so the importance of regular sessions.
Notice how hard it is to have a busy mind when we are listening or watching intently.
So relaxing,
Releasing,
Observing,
All in present-minded awareness,
All helps us to establish a sense of stillness.
So we'll start finishing off this short meditation now.
Take one more exercise.
For a few moments I'd like us to try to notice the spaces between any thoughts that may arise.
Watch and listen,
Observer mode.
See if you can become aware of a sense of emptiness,
A kind of vacuum between either a full thought erupting into our mind or the background hum of half-formed thoughts,
And that vague sense of general background noise.
The spaces between thoughts usually grows longer and larger as we practice until a place may be reached where we discover a sense of spaciousness.
This is known as spacious awareness.
It can be increased into a feeling of vastness and eventually into a sense of infinity,
Endlessness.
Exploring these states,
Feelings and awareness is all of great value for us to attain balance,
Restoration and healing and a sense of centeredness.
So we'll come back gently to a normal sense and feeling of our body.
You can take a breath to come out of this meditation as well.
Take a breath in and a breath out,
Conscious breath,
Breathe in,
Breathe out,
Normal breathing,
Back to normal,
Usual,
Common consciousness,
Daily consciousness.
Thank you everybody for joining me today and I wish you peace and plenitude until next time.
Namaste.
