Guided Mindful Meditation for Daily Practice.
Before doing this meditation, reading the “Foundations for Mindful Meditation Practice” article would immensely help in your practice.
Note: This is a script for you to practice. For best results, instead of reading the article, I suggest you click on the “Listen” button at the top to listen and do the meditation. Set the stopwatch on your mobile for six minutes before starting this meditation. Once you get the drift, you can discard the guidance and do the meditation by yourself using the stopwatch to the duration of your liking.
As we prepare for meditation, find a comfortable position and align your posture. This will promote relaxation and prepare your body for the mindful journey ahead.
Bring your mind’s attention to the fundamental task of breathing.
In life, we breathe without even being aware of it.
You have been doing it since the day you were born. In meditation, we breathe with awareness and observe the breath as it happens effortlessly.
Breath is the very basis of energy and vitality for a living being.
For mindful meditation, breath is your object of focus.
Be fully aware of your breath.
Let your breathing be as it is, regular and natural.
Please don’t force it.
Comfortably breathe through your nose.
Don’t control.
Just be aware of the breath.
Be aware of how your breath keeps you alive and connects your life and existence to reality.
Acknowledge the various sensations relating to the breath as you inhale and exhale.
Keep your head, neck, shoulders, and chest aligned and relatively stable while your abdomen moves in and out as you breathe.
Inhale slowly and deeply, guiding the air into your lungs by conscious breathing. Then, exhale consciously.
Your breath must be slow. A peacock feather must not flutter if it is kept near the nose.
As you slowly breathe, watch the gentle awareness of the breath as it goes in and out.
Become aware of the sensations produced by the breath.
Keep your posture as still as possible as you inhale and exhale;
Gradually, peacefully.
You don’t have to do anything. Just sit still and breathe!
Stay centered on your meditation object, feeling the sensations as you gently take air in and let out steadily.
As you meditate on the breath, it is natural for your mind to drift into thoughts.
When you become aware of what happened, note that those things are there, but don’t give them energy.
Instead of feeling let down, Let go.
Appreciate and acknowledge that you became aware of the drift and directed your mind to the meditation object.
It is usual for the mind to stray into other things.
So, don’t judge yourself.
When your mind moves about aimlessly again, quietly bring back your attention to the breath, and breathe gently.
Continue this mindful meditation practice in silence for the next five minutes.
After five minutes, your stopwatch will ring, and I will give further instructions for the last step of closing.
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(at the interval of 5 minutes bell)
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As you complete the meditation session, gently rub your palms together for a few seconds and lightly place them on your face. Welcome the healing warmth and energy from the hands, and slowly open your eyes. The slow breathing must have triggered your parasympathetic nervous system, which makes you feel relaxed over time and helps your mind slow down your thoughts. So, keep some time for this “Me time.”
After the meditation, take a moment to appreciate yourself. You’ve just completed a mindful journey, and that’s something to be proud of. Consider ticking off the day on the calendar as a symbol of your successful completion.
Remember not to judge your meditation; it is OK if your mind drifts.
The only unacceptable meditation is the one you miss doing!
Photo Courtesy & by Simon Migaj, on Unsplash