Hello,
My name is Tomek and I welcome you to this meditation.
I'm very grateful you have joined me today and I hope you will enjoy this session.
Over the past hundred years we experienced an incredible economic and social growth.
Most deadly diseases were eradicated.
There is no famine and for the first time in history your chances of dying from overeating are higher than those of dying from hunger.
The amount of wealth in the world right now,
Compared to say middle ages,
Is that of a fairy tale.
We possess technology that until recently was only known from science fiction movies.
We live faster,
Becoming wealthier and healthier.
Does this progress however make us more happy than say the people who lived a simple life of hunter-gatherers in small communities thousands of years ago?
Have the industrial revolution brought us the freedom and well-being we were hoping for?
Research shows that in spite of the technological advancements and prosperity we suffer from alienation and meaninglessness.
In spite of being connected to thousands of people on social media we never felt more alone.
Today I'd like to turn your attention towards all the people in your family and community that you are connected with.
And look how much happiness they bring into your life.
Research shows that our need to connect with others is deeply rooted in our biological software.
The longest study ever conducted at the Harvard University shows without a doubt that family and community have more impact on our happiness than money and health.
This meditation explores your relationships and the energy that flows out of them into your life.
Let us begin.
Find a comfortable position.
Make yourself feel at ease.
If you are sitting,
Rest your feet on the floor,
Feel supported and grounded.
Put your hands in your lap.
If your eyes are still open,
Allow them to close.
Sit upright in a dignified position,
Like a queen or a king,
Looking gently and softly.
The next short period of time we will spend together,
You,
Me and the rest of the community that meditate right now,
Exploring connections that we all create.
Begin by tuning into your body.
If there's still an tension or discomfort,
Recognize it,
Acknowledge it,
And you may soften it with your mind,
Also gently.
This is a great place to start.
Now tune into your breath.
Recognize a gentle flow of air coming in and coming out of your body.
There's no need to change the way you breathe.
Simply tune in into the natural flow of your breath.
And now allow an image of a person that's close to your heart come to your mind.
Perhaps it is your partner,
A family member,
A child of yours or a friend.
Simply the first person that comes to mind is the right choice.
Imagine sitting in front of that person.
Do you feel safe?
Do you feel loved?
Perhaps you can imagine looking in that person's eyes,
Allowing yourself to be present to this relationship that you are in with that person.
There's no need for words.
Being present is enough.
As you look into each other's eyes,
Imagine a beam of white light coming from the center of your chest,
Crossing the space between two of you and connecting with the other heart.
Through that connection,
You can exchange the energy of love,
Kindness,
Friendship.
And now expand your awareness and include in this vision more people from your family and from your community.
Feel free to bring a couple of names to your mind.
And once again,
There's no need for words.
Simply enjoy the presence of this community of beings.
Notice that you feel included and accepted.
There's no judgment.
Recognize that this network would not be the same without you.
And you play an important role here.
Notice that this network,
This community of people,
Contains not only your family and friends,
But also all the people that meditate with us right now.
Feel that you are all connected by the same purpose.
Feel that you are a part of a whole.
You are worthy and you are enough.
Remember this feeling.
And now bring yourself back to the center of your being.
Once again,
Notice how you feel right now.
This is who you are,
Always part of a bigger whole.
Now,
To conclude this meditation,
Bring your awareness back to the room around you.
Start engaging all of your senses.
Start recognizing the sounds around you.
Feel your feet resting on the floor.
Feel your sit bones on the chair.
Your hands in your lap.
Feel your entire body.
Slowly and gently,
Start wiggling your toes.
Feel free to stretch them a bit.
Also slowly and gently,
Turn your head to the left.
Feel the muscles stretching in your neck.
Tilt your head to the right.
Back to the center.
And take one deep,
Mindful and cleansing breath,
Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
And when you are ready,
Open your eyes and welcome back.
Thank you so much for meditating with me and with all of the meditators from around the world on Inside Timer.
I hope you had a chance to experience the connection that is always there.
Every time you feel a bit alone or perhaps a bit alienated,
Bring back that feeling of connection that is always there.
Every time you see someone,
Doesn't matter whether it's your family,
Your friend,
Your partner,
Bring to mind that simple fact that you are contributing to their happiness as much as they contributing to yours.
We are all in this together and I'm thankful to be part of it.
My name is Tomek.
It was my pleasure to spend this time with you.
I wish you a wonderful day.
