Introduction To Chanting Meditation #7 Finding Your Center

Hi,

Everybody.

Thanks for coming.

And today is session number 7 of our 30-session Introduction to Meditation course.

And congratulations to everyone.

We're now finishing the module on posture,

Relaxation,

And body awareness.

And our last session is going to be finding our center line using images and feelings of our spine from head to toe.

And that's going to be our center line for today.

A good mental image of this idea of the center is a hurricane.

In the center of the hurricane amidst all the strong winds,

It's perfectly clear and sunny and calm.

And so meditation helps us identify that place inside us that's like the eye of the hurricane where we can get quiet,

Slow things down,

Smooth things out as they come along.

There's a well-known sports psychologist and coach here in the United States called George Mumford.

He's an expert in sports psychology and performance.

And he helps his athletes by saying,

Respond from the center of the hurricane rather than reacting from the chaos of the storm.

So what exactly does that mean?

Let's go ahead and find out.

Coming now to sit.

Entering into your meditation.

An invitation to fall awake.

Expecting your intention to be here,

Present and alert.

Sitting as tall as you can with the least amount of effort.

Back straight,

Aligned,

Relaxed,

Resilient in the balance between effort and ease.

If it helps,

Gently shaking and wiggling a little bit.

Rocking side to side and back and forth to help find that nice,

Comfortable,

Neutral position.

Beginning with three deep,

Calming breaths.

Breathing in fully through your nose.

Exhaling completely through your mouth.

Gently pulling your belly button back towards your spine.

Feeling a soft,

Sighing sound,

Like a gentle breeze moving through the leaves of a tree.

Lightly closing your mouth.

Continuing to breathe in and out through your nose.

Feeling your body gently settling with each out breath.

Releasing any cares,

Worries,

And tensions.

Letting them melt into the ground.

Softening your forehead,

Cheeks,

Jaw,

Mouth,

Eyes,

Neck,

Shoulders,

Arms,

And hands.

Loosening your chest muscles.

Relaxing your lower back.

Releasing your belly,

Groin,

Legs,

And feet.

Sitting in a way that's easy going,

Not tense or tight about distractions.

Whatever is going on in and around you,

It's perfectly okay.

There's nothing you need to do to fix anything or change anything.

Just sitting,

Enjoying your breath.

Allowing your body to be loose and relaxed.

Sitting with a sense of calm,

Alertness.

We'll be using our imaginations today.

As you breathe in,

Imagine inhaling up from the ground,

Up your spine to the crown of your head,

Along the center line of your body.

It's like your whole body is hanging from this center line.

This feeling of a center line is going to be your point of focus for this meditation.

It's partly an idea in your imagination,

Partly a feeling of your body in space.

Breath can help you find and feel this line.

As you breathe in,

Imagine a bright golden light traveling up from the ground,

Up into your body,

Up your spine,

Neck,

Head,

To the crown of your head.

Lighting up your entire center line.

With each out breath,

The golden light moves back down your center line,

Back into the ground.

Breathing in,

Light moving up.

Breathing out,

Light moving down.

In,

Up.

Out,

Down.

When your mind wanders,

Just notice.

Smile for noticing.

And when you're ready,

Returning to the next in breath or out breath.

Begin again.

In,

Light up.

Out,

Light down.

Breathing naturally.

Focused on this idea and feeling of a center line.

Relaxed and calm.

It's the absolute center of you.

Keep imagining this golden light traveling up your center line as you breathe in,

And back down as you breathe out.

Perhaps the light has a sense of warmth.

As you breathe in and you light up,

Your whole body is warmed.

Your whole body shines.

And in your mind's eye,

Noticing that everyone else in this session with us is pulsing with their own light.

In and up,

Out and down.

Each light warming the others.

Coming together as a group.

Radiating even a brighter light together.

It's normal that there will be distractions,

Worries,

Physical discomforts,

Uncomfortable thoughts,

Sounds.

Our practice isn't to resist or struggle against these distractions.

To tense or brace against them.

If you find these intensities get too much,

Allow yourself to take a nice,

Long,

Deep breath in and let out an audible sigh.

Allowing yourself to be open,

No matter the intensity.

Whatever it is,

A sensation,

Emotion,

Thought,

Sound.

Observing and fascinating that when you're open,

These things just pass right through you without leaving any effect.

What seemed real and permanent isn't.

They come and go,

And you remain.

This is what we mean by holding the center line.

In,

Up,

Out,

Down.

The center is the eye of the hurricane.

It stays calm and clear,

Even as everything else is frenetically moving.

Nothing can really touch you when you are fully open.

I observe my distractions.

I open myself so they can pass through me.

I observe that I remain whole,

Safe,

Home in my center.

Breathing in,

Light travels up.

Breathing out,

Light travels down.

Spine upright and aligned,

Body relaxed,

Calm,

Composed,

Resilient.

You're sitting in the still point of the world.

You're sitting on the seat of the Buddha.

Now let go of all of this effort of imagining and just coast.

Relax and drift.

Nam-myoho-ren-ge-kyo,

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Breathing in,

I know I am breathing in.

Breathing out,

I know I am breathing out.

In,

Out.

Breathing in,

Light travels up my center line.

Breathing out,

Light moves down my center line.

Light up,

Light down.

Breathing in,

The light warms me.

Breathing out,

The light soothes me.

Warm,

Soothing.

Breathing in,

I feel connected to the sky.

Breathing out,

I feel connected to the earth.

Sky,

Earth.

Aware of my breath.

The light connects us all.

Connection.

Slowly,

Gradually,

Emerging from your meditation.

Releasing and relaxing your posture.

Wiggling your toes and your fingers.

Taking a deep breath in and stretching your arms up high.

A nice big stretch up.

And as you lower your arms,

Letting out a sigh.

Wiggling your toes and your fingers.

Rubbing your legs.

Rocking side to side.

Bringing emotion back into your body.

Waking it up.

Reaching behind to your lower back.

Giving your lower back a massage.

Sliding your hands around to your belly.

Gently holding your belly.

Beginning to offer your affirmations of loving kindness for yourself.

I am well.

And hands over your heart.

Feeling the warmth,

The kindness,

The tenderness.

Repeating,

I am happy,

Loved,

And loving.

Crossing your arms,

Putting your hands on your opposite shoulders,

Giving yourself a hug.

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.

In my center.

And caressing your face from your forehead,

Around your eyes,

Cheeks,

And jaw.

Through your hair,

Over your head,

Around to the back of your neck,

And pausing there 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 thank yourself for coming,

Giving yourself this gift of self-care,

Discovering your center line.

And take these good feelings with you into the rest of your day,

Evening,

And week.

Rubbing the palms of your hands together to warm them.

Lightly cupping them over your eyes,

Feeling the warmth of your hands.

With the next in-breath,

Opening your eyes into your hands.

And as you breathe out,

Slowly lowering your hands,

Returning your awareness to the room around you.

Thank you very much.