27 : Start Here Meditation - A guided introduction practice (15 mins)

Thank you so much for joining me today for this guided meditation. 

 Today, we're going to do something a little bit different. We're going to go back to basics and today's meditation will be an introduction, a short practice to walk you through the process of meditation and to show you that it's quite simple.

So let's begin. 

I invite you to find a position that allows you to be both alert and relaxed at the same time, sitting with a long, straight back. You can rest your hands wherever is comfortable for you.

You can gently close your eyes or gaze down a few feet in front of you with a soft unfocused gaze.

And let's begin  with three deep breaths in and out.

And as we begin, today's practice, I invite you to simply check in with yourself, turning your attention inward. Noticing what it feels like in your body as you sit and breathe in this moment, with an attitude of openness, curiosity and kindness. Not judging what you find to be good or bad, right or wrong. But  just meeting whatever is with an attitude of openness, kindness, and curiosity. 

Right now it's like this

in my body. In this moment, it's like this.

Noticing any sensations, any itching, tickling, prickling, vibrations . Any areas of tightness or soreness or areas that feel good, feel relaxed and at ease, just noticing whatever it is. That's there to be noticed as we begin this practice. And as we fully arrive in this moment.

 Expanding our awareness now to include the mind noticing with that same kind curious attitude, what it's like in your mind in this moment. Is it busy? Is it calm? Is it tense or relaxed again, just meeting whatever you find with openness, kindness and curiosity.

Right now in my mind, it's like this.

And now I invite you to bring your attention to the breath, noticing where in your body, the breath sensations are most vivid right now in this moment, perhaps the belly or the chest expanding and contracting.

Perhaps at the nose or the mouth where the air is coming in and going out, or perhaps feeling the whole body sitting and breathing  wherever the sensations are most vivid right now just resting your awareness there, aware as you breathe in.

And awareness, you breathe out.

  No need to breathe in any particular way or to control the breath in any way, but rather simply arresting and awareness of the breath as it is, as it enters the body.

And as it leaves the body moment by moment by moment

and breath by breath, by breath.

Right now, there's nothing that you need to do. Nowhere that you need to be all that you need to do right now. Is simply observe this in breath,

breath.

Each one completely new, completely unique, never having happened before

each one. Your life happening moment by moment by moment and breath by breath by breath. In the only moment we ever have to live this moment. So resting in the simplicity of observing just this and breath, justice, out breath.

  Whenever you notice that your mind has drifted off into distraction or thought, no problem, just simply notice that thinking is happening.

Noticing what that same kind of curious and open attitude

The mind is just doing what it does, creating thoughts. And so meeting whatever has arisen with openness, kindness, and curiosity.

And then gently choose to come back to the breath and begin again. 

Each time, the mind wanders  and we notice and bring it back, it's like we're doing a bicep curl for our brain,  training, our mental muscles of attention and meta attention.

Meditation is not about getting rid of thoughts or pushing away thoughts, because thoughts are inevitable. The mind is just doing what it does.

 Each time the mind drifts off and we notice it's like, we're doing a rep of exercise and training the muscles in our brain. And so perhaps even feeling happy or bringing a smile to your face each time you notice your mind is drifted off because that noticing and bringing back  of the attention is the practice.

And so as you notice again, and again, mind drifting off, simply meeting whatever you find with kindness and curiosity. And then again, choosing to come back to the breath and beginning again, beginning again with just the Sen breath.

And justice. Out-breath okay.

Breathing in. I'm aware that I'm breathing in.

Breathing out. I'm aware that I'm breathing out.

  And again, just checking in with yourself. Where's your attention in this moment? Noticing if it's on the breath or if like myself it's somewhere else entirely. Caught up in some thought world or story world.  Wherever it is, just meeting it with that kind curious attention of mindfulness

and then just gently choosing to come back to the breath and beginning again, each in breath is a new beginning.

Each out-breath is a chance to let go.

 And in these last few moments of our practice together, I invite you to bring, to mind an intention for how you'd like to carry this forward into the rest of your day. Just noticing what arises in your mind. When you think about how you'd like to show up for yourself and for others as you approach the rest of your day,

the act of setting an intention is in itself, a meditation. Because we're gently setting or reinforcing a mental habit.

So sitting with your intention for a moment.

Let us finish this practice with three deep breaths together, breathing in

once more.

When you're ready, opening your eyes

and with your eyes open taking one final mindful breath

as a reminder that this is available to you anywhere, anytime. And it just takes one breath.

Thank you so much for your attention. I'd love to hear how this practice was for you. And  if you have any questions, I welcome those as well. And we'd love to answer them. If you're just getting started with meditation, this is a great practice to do again and again. And if you are getting started with meditation, you probably have some questions.