Transcription
Let's begin by taking a moment to allow your body to settle. Find a comfortable position that allows your spine to be long but with a natural curve in the low back. You can close your eyes or keep them open with a soft gaze downward a few feet in front of you (2 seconds).
Let the belly and shoulders relax.
Today I’ll guide you through an open awareness practice.
Before we start, take a full breath in (2 seconds) and a long breath out (5 seconds).
Now along the breath to find its natural rhythm (2 seconds),
in and out.
As you breathe, the breath can be like an anchor or a foothold.
As you observe what's happening right now,
as you allow yourself to notice whatever is arising,
you can decide for yourself if you want to dial up or dial down
how aware of the breath you are at a given moment (10 seconds).
To practice giving equal open attention to whatever is arising, light questions can be helpful. What sounds do you hear that maybe you didn't notice before? (5 seconds)
What do your clothes or the air on your skin feel like? (5 seconds)
Are there any smells around you?
Are there any sensations in your body? (5 seconds)
This kind of active curiosity can reveal the more subtle parts of our awareness
without getting us stuck or swept away by anyone thing (15 seconds).
Whenever you realize, you've gotten caught up in thinking just come back to rest and simple clear awareness of what's here now.
Focusing on a few breathes before coming back to open awareness can also help settle the mind before you open up your awareness again (20 seconds).
As we begin to close this open awareness practice, come back to focus on the breath letting awareness of other things fade to the background (2 seconds),
breathing in and out.
Let's finish this open awareness practice now by taking a full breath in and a long breath out (5 seconds) ding (15 seconds).
Integrated Practice:
Write for 2 full minutes for each journaling prompt below. Once you’ve finished, take a minute to reread what you wrote and reflect.
Journaling Prompts:
Practice using an open-awareness mindset as you respond to the following journaling prompts:
1. Some effects of this practice period for me have been…
2. What I’m surprised about in my life right now is…
Something I’ve noticed is that I’ve been able to take on a better perspective when I get annoyed or offended. Instead of allowing the emotion to take over my body, I am able to consider alternative narratives that are more likely rooted in reality. This helps me to remember that most of what happens is not personal and it is easier to let go of.
A whisper of sweetness seeps in as the physical pain fades for a moment.
1. Some effects of this practice period for me have been…
– a sense of relaxation
– more aware of my actions, feelings and thoughts
– a calm mind
– more gratitude and feeling of abundance
– a sense of wisdom
2. What I’m surprised about in my life right now is…
– how different is it from only a year ago (very grateful for that)
Up to day 10. At day 8 all the ticks of the ones I had complete disappeared, so it looks like I start at day 8. Today’s meditation went so quickly, I find it relaxing each night while completing the meditation and look forward to the next one. Thank you
a lot of people said i get mad easily so that is why this helps
Some effects of this practice period for me have been good because i know how to take my anger out.What um surprised about in life that California is shut down.
So Spot On!