Hi there,
This is Shumayla.
Today we will practice the ocean mind meditation to reach calm clarity.
On days when your mind is restless,
This meditation will be helpful to achieve calm surrender to each passing moment and each passing breath.
In this meditation we will be focusing on the sensations of the breath.
In the stories of wisdom passed through the generations,
The mind is considered to be like the ocean.
On the surface you notice tides and waves but on the ocean floor it's calm and clear.
We will practice reaching that place where you can observe your mind moment to moment and non-judgmentally.
First just let your eyes be open.
Focus on the middle of the room where you are and then notice how you can let your attention go to the far wall away from where you are sitting.
If you are lying flat you can let your attention go to the ceiling.
Now notice how you can let your attention come back to the center of the room.
Now bring your attention to about book reading distance as if you are reading a book in your hand.
And you may notice that you can determine where your attention goes.
Now if you'd like you can let your eyes close and just let your attention go inward.
Let your attention go to wherever the breath comes most naturally to you.
For some people it's the sensations of the air,
The level of the nostrils with that gentle feeling coming in and out as the air passes in and out at the nostrils.
Are you feeling at ease within your body?
Observe any areas of tension and gently release it and let go.
Observe the natural feel of the breath at the level of the chest with the rising and falling of the chest with each half breath in and out.
Now feel the breath most naturally at the level of the abdomen when the diaphragm underneath the lungs is pulling down and bringing air into the lungs as you are breathing in the abdomen actually moves upward moves out and then when the air is released from the lungs as you breathe out the abdomen actually moves inward.
Sense the abdominal movements in and out.
So let's take a few moments now and just let your awareness ride the waves of the breath wherever you feel it most naturally.
Your nostrils,
Your chest,
Your abdominal movement or for some people it's even just the whole body breathing.
Whatever comes naturally for you.
So let's take a few moments now and just let your awareness ride the waves of the breath wherever you feel it most naturally.
Your nostrils,
Your chest,
Your abdominal movement or for some people it's even just the whole body breathing.
Whatever comes naturally for you let your attention ride the wave of your breathing as you are sensing your breath in and out.
Now you're immersed in the deep ocean.
You can look upward towards the surface and at the surface no matter what the conditions are whether it's flat or choppy or even a full storm no matter what those conditions are deep in the ocean it's calm and clear and just sensing the breath allows you to go to the depth of the ocean of your mind where from this deep tranquil place you can look upward at the waves on the surface.
The brain waves are the activities of your mind that form this deep place in your mind.
You can just notice the thinking or feeling or perceiving all those feelings that are just there at the surface and notice them as being activities that come and go in and out of awareness like ripples on a pond.
And just sensing your breath brings you back to this tranquil place in the depth of your mind.
So let's take a few moments right now to just sense your breath and when an activity of the mind brings your attention to it like a thought,
A feeling,
A memory,
A sensation then lovingly and gently make note of that mental activity and redirect your attention to the breath.
For some people it's helpful to just make a gentle mental note so if there is a thought you can gently say in your mind thought or if there is a sensation you can just say gently sensing and name the sense listening smelling seeing tasting then let your attention return to the breath to this depth of your mind where you can just sense and observe the activities of the mind as just that just activities and not the totality of who you are.
So let's take the time now and just sense your breath and when you come to notice that your mind is no longer focusing on the breath lovingly and gently take note of that and return your attention to your breathing.
Now in just a few moments we will bring this exercise to a close and just let yourself enjoy the deep tranquility that comes from just sensing the breath knowing that just focusing your mind on your breathing brings you to this deep place of calm clarity and now and now when you're ready you can gently let your eyes open.
Thank you for joining me today.
You
