Transcription
[0:00, guided meditation begins]
Let's start this afternoon, now that we're all comfortable, by standing together, and just do a little mindful movement. Very, very simple. Just to begin by feeling the contact of the feet with the floor: the sense of pressure, the warmth, the simple sensations there. Staying connected with those, an awareness of those sensations, letting the awareness spread to include the legs -- the feet and the legs.
Again, staying connected to the feelings in the lower body, and all those sensations, opening to the whole of the body: the torso, the arms, the head, this life of sensation in the whole body.
Reaching both arms upwards, stretching towards the ceiling, really stretching -- without straining the body or harming, just really stretching, so you can feel a stretch. Feel that right through the arms and into the fingertips and the sides of the body. And bringing mindfulness to these sensations, stretching up, aware of the sensations of contact, aware of the sensations of stretch.
Perhaps leaning a little bit to your left, and stretching the right-hand side of the body, really reaching up towards the ceiling. How does that feel? Really alive to the sensations with mindfulness, opening up the right-hand side of the body. And then leaning to the left.
And again, the awareness staying rooted in the contact with the floor, but really alive to the sensations: heat or tingling, whatever it feels like in the left-hand side of the body. And then again, the right side opening up, and the left side. And then, coming to centre again, reaching again both, upwards. Aware. Aware of the sensations. How do they feel? Don't hurt the body.
Now, if you can, just arching the back gently backwards, arching gently backwards. Careful not to damage the body. You might want to support your lower back, or you might be okay keeping your hands above the head. So what's good for your body? And then feeling how that feels, particularly along the front of the body. There's a stretch right from the lower belly, all the way up the front, into the neck, into the head, even. How does that feel? And feeling the opening, and feeling sensations, and not straining the body. And breathe with it. Breathe. Be loose with it. Let the breath help the opening.
And then, careful of your neighbour, and gently lowering the arms to parallel with the floor, and just be there for a while. And feel the stretch. Feel the line of energy from one hand's fingertips, all the way to the other's. How does that feel? Including the sensations of contact with the floor still, open to the whole body, and breathe with this stretch. Gently, slowly moving the hands backwards a little bit, and feeling how that opens up the chest. Don't strain. Don't hurt your body. Breathe with this. Feel it right through the chest and the arms.
And again, if you want, gently arching backwards the head and the back. Careful what your body can do. Respect your body. Breathe into the opening here. Breathe into the stretch. Be aware of what it feels like.
And then, slowly bring the hands back down. Feel what it feels like as the hands come back down and rest by your sides. Now, what's the feeling in the arms? What's the feeling in the whole body? Just encompassing it all with awareness. Maybe shaking out the arms, the hands. How does that feel? What is that experience? And if you like, shaking out the legs, one at a time. And how does that feel? Really pay attention to the sensations as you're doing this. You don't have to keep shaking your hands if it's too much to do at once. [laughter] And the other leg. Really bringing mindfulness there.
Coming to stationary again, and if you've got room, just a little gentle twisting from one side to the other, but again, with mindfulness. How does that feel? How do the hips, the belly, the spine feel as this happens? How do the hands feel, the arms? What's the sensation of the shifting of pressure, of weight, from foot to foot? How does that feel? The simple textures of our experience.
And then, when you're ready, coming to centre, and moving your body however it feels like it would be helpful right now. Just whatever you feel like, but with that awareness.
Again, coming into some stillness, and again, rooting the awareness in the sensations of contact with the earth, with the floor, the feet on the floor. How does that feel right now, right here? And again, staying connected to those sensations, opening out to embrace, to include the whole of the body, the whole dance and flickering and movement of sensation in the whole body. Just alive to it all.
Now, is it possible to stay centred in those sensations, in the body sensations, open the awareness out even further, to listening, to sounds? Whatever sounds come and go in the space, whatever body sensations come and go. In this awareness, opening to it all, noticing. Letting it all be, letting it come, letting it go. Opening in presence, opening to receive whatever arises: sounds, sensations, thoughts.
And when you're ready, sitting down. See if you can bring mindfulness to the actual transition to the sitting posture.
[9:51, guided meditation ends]
