Many of us are more capable than we give ourselves credit for, and that includes mindfulness meditation. We may feel as though our minds are too busy or full to be still. And yet, we’ve all had glimpses of what it feels like to be fully present in body and mind. Sustaining this presence takes practice, but it’s something we can do.
In this guided meditation with Sean Fargo, we’re invited to place our attention on our natural capacity to meet this moment, just as it is, with presence and awareness. The practice is one of strengthening this ability, so that we can meet deeper layers of our experience with mindfulness.
Please listen in a safe, quiet place where you can be relatively free from distraction. Find a posture that balances comfort with alertness, whether standing, seated, or lying down. May this meditation be of benefit to you in your practice.
Sponsored by our Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification: MindfulnessExercises.com/Certification
Mindfulness is something we are innately capable of, and yet still, it is something we need to train in. It may not be our habit to bring mindfulness to each moment, but with practice, we can.
We are all capable of awakening and meeting each moment with caring curiosity. We also have the capacity to sustain this embodied presence throughout our meditation practice and into the rest of our day. And where we may feel that we fall short, we can offer ourselves kindness and a simple sense of care as we continue to practice.
As mindfulness teachers, we often speak of the importance of courage as we practice. The courage to sit with discomfort, to open our hearts wider, or to be present for the fullness of our experience. To explore capability encourages courage from a different angle, by pointing to the capacity we already have.
In this particular meditation, we hear repeats of the phrase, ‘You are capable.’ This particular approach differs from that of repeating a positive affirmation, something which research suggests can fall flat for people with low self-esteem. The difference lies in exploring and embodying the felt sense of accomplishment that is already within us.
Despite our proclivity for distraction, we have moments in meditation, however brief, where we experience connection to and complete acceptance of the present moment. As Rick Hanson describes in Episode #006, rejoicing in such moments of clarity may make this presence more likely to arise again.
It’s common to be more practiced in ‘checking out’ of our experience, whether due to fear, trauma or simply the strength of habit. Hearing the reminder that we are capable of choosing differently can be enough to help us shift our attention, especially in meditation.
Meeting this moment and accepting its truth is enough. Presence need not be a precursor to fixing, changing, or solving a problem. We are already meeting moments, in small ways, each and every day. By acknowledging that with the attention of body and mind, and by letting go of expectations, our agenda, or comparisons to others, we may feel encouraged.
Each time we return to the present moment in meditation, we practice coming back to ourselves and to the awareness of our capability.
Explore the concepts of capability and confidence with these additional free mindfulness resources:
- Blog: Boosting Confidence Through Meditation
- Blog: How Mindfulness Builds Resilience: What Science Says
- Blog: How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome and Share Mindfulness From the Heart
- Podcast: Sharing Mindfulness from the Heart, with Sean Fargo
- Podcast: Inspiring Courage as a Mindfulness Teacher
- Meditation Script: Recognizing Your Resilience To Difficulty
- Meditation Script: 5 Minutes To Regain Calm, Clarity And Confidence
About Sean Fargo:
Sean Fargo is a former Buddhist monk who founded Mindfulness Exercises and leads the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification.
