Working with Boredom

Meditation

Sit comfortably in a quiet place where you can be free from distractions
As you settle in to your seat, align the back of your head with the back of your heart
Shift your shoulders back slightly, so your whole spine remains neutral
Shoulders balanced equally above your hips

Soften into your belly and your thighs,
Feel the weight of your body against the structure below you
At the same time, feel the support of that structure, rising up to meet you,
Providing you with energy that travels up the length of your spine
Out through the crown of your head

With your eyes closed, breathe in and out through your nose
Let the breath help accentuate this movement of energy
Every breath out grounding, releasing
Every breath in awakening, lengthening

Make a commitment to continue noticing your breath
With a deep curiosity

Breath as it’s felt in the body

Breath as movement, breath as change

Breath as it’s connected to the energy of your body, the energy of your mind

Infuse your awareness of breath with a deep sense of gratitude, a deep sense of awe

Allow the breath and all its smallest details to inspire you

Let it inspire you to hold your attention on the breath

And today, if you happen to notice any feelings of restlessness as you sit here present with breath, rather than ignoring them or pushing them away, turn towards those feelings of restlessness

This feeling might arise in the body itself, manifesting as fidgeting, or discomfort
This feeling might arise in the mind, manifesting as the thoughts or the to-do lists that you’d rather be chasing.

When you notice there’s a discomfort in being still,
A boredom with the present moment, breath awareness,
Get equally curious about those sensations, curious about the desire to move

Turn towards your impatience, your boredom, your restlessness
And inspect it, explore it, let it be heard, and seen and felt

And then notice, if through that process of turning towards your boredom
Looking it in the eye, and trying to find it,
If you don’t find yourself back and present with the breath

If our boredom is a failure to pay attention,
A failure to notice,
We can use mindfulness, noticing, and paying attention,
To cut through that boredom

And come back to a state of deep curiosity
A state of detailed awareness

We come back to mindfulness, and a willingness to be fully present with the breath

Breath as it’s felt in the body

Breath as movement, breath as change

Breath as it’s connected to the energy of your body, the energy of your mind

Infuse your awareness of breath with a deep sense of gratitude, a deep sense of awe

Allow the breath and all its smallest details to inspire you

Let it inspire you to hold your attention right here on the breath

Let continued mindfulness of the breath,
And continued mindfulness of dissatisfaction with breath awareness
Equally, hold you here

Remain present, alert, and curious
Equally curious about breath and boredom

Let boredom teach you
Let boredom show you where and when you resist being present
Let boredom show you where contentment is

Right here, right now, with you already
Present, in each awe-inspiring breath