Hello,
Thanks for coming today.
It's good to see everybody.
Welcome to session 14 of our 30-session Introduction to Meditation course.
We began our course learning calming skills through posture,
Body awareness,
And breath.
And in our last session,
We completed our Insight Meditation module.
This session and the next,
We continue our meditation adventure exploring concentration.
Concentration is what allows us to sustain our awareness and presence in the moment.
Whether we're formally meditating or engaged in various aspects of our life,
Work,
Play,
Hobbies,
Friends,
Etc,
Practicing concentration is what helps us stay focused in the moment.
However,
It can be a lot of work,
But exercising concentration can also feel really,
Really good.
Have you ever been so committed to an activity and were so engaged in it that you lost all track of time and were no longer aware of yourself or really where you were?
You were so focused and present in the moment.
This is your concentration muscle in action.
Athletes call it being in the flow state,
And it is something you can train to be good at.
In meditation,
We commit to something to rest our attention called the point of focus.
This helps us stay aware and focused on the session.
I like to use the word home base rather than point of focus because it's reminiscent of our youth when we were young,
Carefree,
And we played fun games with our friends,
And home base was this great place where no one could get us and we were safe.
So,
What is a good home base to use when meditating?
A couple of things can help.
One,
Finding a home base that you like and enjoy,
And different home bases work better for different people,
So feel free to experiment and be playful with it.
Try new things.
Most people don't realize there are options besides the breath.
During this session,
We'll explore a few different ones.
The second thing that can help is using labels.
Labels are just a word,
A phrase,
Or a mantra we say to ourselves to stay on track.
For instance,
If you're thinking about your breath as your home base,
You might say in as you breathe in and out as you breathe out,
Or if you're focused on a sensation in your body,
You might say the word feel,
And if you're about sounds,
The word hear,
H-e-a-r,
Hear.
Personally,
I almost always use labels when I meditate at some point during this session because my mind,
Like everyone's,
Does drift around.
So,
What exactly do various home bases look and feel like?
Let's find out.
Enjoy the meditation.
Coming now to sit.
Entering into your meditation.
Setting your intention to be here,
Present,
And alert.
Taking a few moments to find your favorite meditation posture.
A comfortable position that allows you to be fully supported and your body to relax.
Sitting as tall as you can with the least amount of effort.
If sitting on a chair,
Coming away from the back of the chair so your spine is self-supporting with your back,
Neck,
And head in line.
Upright.
Aligned.
Relaxed.
Resilient.
In that balance between effort and ease.
So that your body embodies a sense of dignity.
A sense of intentionally being aware and present.
Eyes closed or open,
Whichever you prefer.
Taking three deep,
Calming breaths.
In through your nose,
Out through your mouth,
Making a soft sighing sound.
Like a gentle breeze through the leaves of a tree.
As you breathe out,
Imagining that any cares,
Concerns,
And worries you may have brought to this session are falling away from you.
Melting into the floor.
Softening your forehead,
Eyes,
Cheeks,
Jaw,
Mouth,
Tongue,
Tongue,
Neck,
Shoulders,
Arms,
Hands,
Chest,
Lower back,
Belly,
Soft,
Warm,
Hips,
Groin,
Pelvis,
Legs,
And feet.
Easing your awareness to your breathing.
Following your breath all the way down into the abdomen,
And back out again.
Zooming in on the sensations of each in-breath for its full duration,
And each out-breath for its full duration.
Allowing each breath to come naturally.
No correct or best way to breathe.
No need to control the breath in any way.
Just this breath coming in.
Just this breath coming out.
Just this breath going out.
Checking in with yourself.
How do you feel today?
What's the weather like inside?
However you're feeling.
Happy,
Sad,
Or indifferent.
Seeing if you can be okay with it.
An easy-going,
Calm,
And accepting attitude that things don't need to be perfect.
We're going to explore a few home-based options.
Starting with the one everybody knows,
Breath.
There's a lot going on with the breath.
A cool tickle of air at the back of the nose as you breathe in.
The warm,
Soft air at the front of the nose as you breathe out.
The feeling of the belly filling as you inhale.
And a little feeling of rest as you exhale and your diaphragm relaxes.
Even a tiny pause in between each breath and in between each heartbeat.
The expanding and contracting of your ribcage as you breathe in and out.
A slight stretch up through your spine,
Shoulders,
Neck,
And head as your chest lifts with your in-breath.
And then your whole body gently settling as you breathe out.
Feeling like a great ocean swell,
Rising and falling.
A wave that passes through you,
Bringing life's energy and connection.
Playfully see if there's a part of the breath,
Even a very subtle part,
That you enjoy,
Find calming,
Where you can rest your attention.
Zoom in as close as you can,
Right up to or into the sensation.
And experiment using labels,
Like in as you inhale,
And out as you exhale.
See if that helps.
Good.
If you found a sensation of breath you like,
Stay with it.
And if you haven't,
Experiment with other breath sensations.
See which works best for you.
And then see how into it you can get.
Noticing the softest,
Most subtle,
Quietest part of the breath.
This curiosity helps us build our concentration,
Which leads to this feeling of being totally immersed and absorbed.
Some people don't enjoy as much using their breath.
If that's you,
That's okay.
You have options.
Our next home base we're going to explore is using a sensation inside or on your body.
Perhaps the air on your skin.
Its temperature.
Its movement.
Or the warmth inside your belly.
The ground under your feet.
Or your buttocks on the seat.
The feeling of your hands on your thighs or in your lap.
Or perhaps a point inside your body.
Like between the eyes.
Behind the heart.
Or deep down in the belly,
Just below your belly button.
Letting your awareness roam,
Experimenting with these different sensations until you find one that you enjoy.
And then,
If you want,
You can add a label.
Feel.
Repeating feel at a comfortable pace.
As you pay attention to this one spot or sensation.
Getting distracted and coming back is what meditation is all about.
Every time you return to your home base,
You strengthen your concentration muscle a little.
Just like when you exercise.
Being patient.
Kind.
As your concentration muscle slowly builds.
Our last home base option.
Sound.
Nature sounds are good.
As our background sounds.
Like far away traffic.
The hum of a refrigerator,
Fan or heater.
Experiment with the label here.
As you focus your awareness on a sound.
And settle your attention on whichever home base option you most enjoy.
Breath.
Sensation.
Sound.
When your mind wanders,
Ease yourself back to your home base in a soft,
Relaxed way.
And begin again.
The closer you concentrate,
The stiller you get.
The deeper you go.
Now just totally relax.
Coast.
Doing nothing.
And our next home base is the sacred title,
The mantra.
Bringing our awareness to the sounds and vibrations.
Renge Kyo.
Renge Kyo.
Namo Myoho.
Renge Kyo.
Namo Myoho.
Renge Kyo.
Namo Myoho.
Renge Kyo.
Namo Myoho.
Renge Kyo.
Namo Myoho.
Renge Kyo.
Namo Myoho.
Renge Kyo.
Namo Myoho.
Renge Kyo.
Our base is visualization.
Our imagination.
I will suggest a phrase which you'll hold in your mind and then repeat a key word from that phrase for you to use as your home base as you breathe in and out.
Sort of like a label,
But with more imagery and imagination.
Breathing in.
I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out.
I know I am breathing out.
In.
Breathing in.
My breath grows deep.
Breathing out.
My breath goes slow.
Deep.
Slow.
Breathing in,
Aware of my body.
Breathing out,
Calming my body.
Body.
Calm.
Breathing in,
Dwelling in the present moment.
Breathing out,
Enjoying the present moment.
Moment.
Enjoying.
Breathing in,
Aware of my stable posture.
Breathing out,
Enjoying the stability.
Enjoying.
Stability.
Stability.
Remember these home bases that we worked with today.
Breath.
Sensation.
Sound.
Mantras.
Visualizations.
These can be your go-to.
The more you practice with these home bases,
The more they become a reliable place you can come back to anytime,
And not just when you meditate.
At home,
Doing chores.
In the office.
At school.
Enjoying hobbies.
Being with friends.
Close your eyes for a moment or three.
Find your breath and connect to your home base.
After a while,
It will become like a portable reset button.
One you can activate anywhere and anytime.
Slowly and gradually beginning to emerge from your meditation.
Relaxing and releasing your meditation posture.
Wiggling your toes and your fingers.
Rubbing your legs.
And as you rub your legs,
Rocking side to side and back and forth a little bit,
Bringing some motion back into your bodies,
Waking them up slowly.
Now taking a big breath in and stretching your arms up high toward the ceiling.
And as you lower your arms,
Letting out a sigh.
Reaching behind to your lower back.
Giving your lower back a massage.
And perhaps as you do that,
A gentle back bend as you look up toward the ceiling.
Nice gentle stretch.
Bringing your hands around to your lower belly.
Gently holding your lower belly.
Repeating your metaphrases to yourself beginning with,
I am well.
Bringing your hands over your heart.
Feeling the warmth,
The kindness,
The compassion for yourself.
Repeating,
I am happy,
Loved and loving.
Crossing your arms.
Putting your hands on your opposite shoulders and giving yourself a hug.
And as you lightly stroke down your arm from shoulder to elbow a few times as you repeat to yourself,
I am safe,
At home,
In my body,
With my breath.
And caressing your face,
Your forehead,
Your eyes,
Your nose,
Your cheeks and jaw.
Rubbing your hands over your head,
Through your hair,
Around to the back of your neck.
Pausing to give your neck and shoulders a massage.
Hands back to your heart.
And back to your belly.
Repeating,
I am peaceful and at ease.
And take a moment to appreciate this gift you gave yourself this morning.
Self-care.
And coming together as a group and sharing it with each other in community.
And perhaps during the week,
Forming a strong intention to play with the different home bases whenever you need it.
While meditating or when you're out and about.
And take these good feelings with you into the rest of your day,
Evening and week.
Now rubbing the palms of your hands together,
Warming them.
Lightly cupping them over your face.
Feeling the warmth of your hands.
And with the next in-breath,
As you breathe in,
Opening your eyes into your hands.
And as you breathe out,
Slowly lowering your hands and returning your awareness to the room around you.
