Here’s a clear space that I’ve chosen
Where the denseness of this world opens
Where there’s something holding steady and true
Regardless of me or you
~ from the song “Learning to Sit with Not Knowing” by Carrie Newcomer
Hello Mindful Souls,
Today we’ll take another step toward deepening your meditation roots and strengthening the foundation of your practice. Our last meditation explored the basics of meditation posture and coming into rest. In this meditation, we’ll tune in to the body, progressively relaxing and letting go, then noticing the nuances of our senses and the feelings that are arising. In meditation, we come as we are. It’s a sacred space where nothing is required but your attention.
Learning to reclaim your attention is the most important investment you can make. You become more present to the moments of your life as they are happening. As meditation teacher and researcher, Dr. Joe Dispenza, says, “Where you put your attention is where you put your energy.” Our thoughts can snag us and take us into the past or the future, away from the moment before us. But your life is happening now, the only time there is.
One word about meditation: If you aren’t used to sitting in stillness (and most of us aren’t) it can sometimes trigger the nervous system’s vigilance. Our brain has a negativity bias that has helped keep us alive for millennia. It scans the landscape for potential danger. An unknown (like the feeling of sitting in stillness) can be perceived as a potential danger and fire up the nervous system. This is a normal response. If this happens to you, just slow things down. Try to sit for one or two minutes at first and slowly increase the time as your nervous system acclimates. Dr. Joe reminds us that the known is everything you already know and that those new experiences you want to have (like peace and calm) are the unknown. So that’s actually a good place to be!
So keep a beginner’s mind, stay curious, and give yourself some time for soul-care. You can download this meditation from the audio if you like. If you’re enjoying these meditations, please share them! Subscribe for free to get them sent straight to your inbox. Many thanks!
Visit my companion project, Pando Unlimited, at pandounlimited.com for more resources on mindful living, creativity, and possibility and to get your free mindfulness Starter Kit.
