lie on the floor
feel the back of your body on the floor
notice all the places where you touch the floor
soften into those places
let your weight fall into the earth, like sand melting through an hourglass
release deeply
release so deeply that your tissues seem to melt
and your bones fall to the back of your body
your abdomen begins to feel like a mountain lake
deep, clear, and dark
your breath blows gently across the surface of the lake
and you see the reflection of the sky, the stars, and all that is
you are a reflection of all that is
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
4/19/10
2/10/09
a meditation
Lie on your back on the floor
Get comfortable
Close your eyes
Rest quietly
Tune into the sensations, the presence, of your body.
Notice the awareness of your form.
Notice the places that feel tense, tight, painful.
Notice the rest of you.
Invite youself to shift your position, to release tightness, to find ease, to reduce pain.
Continue to turn your attention to the sensory collage of the body.
Listen to the internal sound of your breath.
Listen to the internal sounds of having a body.
Open up your listening to the sounds in the room around you.
Without attachment or aversion, listen.
Open your listening to the sounds in the world outside the room.
Without attachment or aversion, simply listen.
Imagine you can extend your hearing far away.
Listen to the distant roar of the ocean.
Listen to the wind blowing across mountains, over plains.
Return your awareness to your body. Into your form. Into it's sounds. Into it's sensations.
As you are able, invite the exterior awareness to overlay the interior awareness. Simply. No forcing, no doing, just being in this moment of sensation.
Rest.
Get comfortable
Close your eyes
Rest quietly
Tune into the sensations, the presence, of your body.
Notice the awareness of your form.
Notice the places that feel tense, tight, painful.
Notice the rest of you.
Invite youself to shift your position, to release tightness, to find ease, to reduce pain.
Continue to turn your attention to the sensory collage of the body.
Listen to the internal sound of your breath.
Listen to the internal sounds of having a body.
Open up your listening to the sounds in the room around you.
Without attachment or aversion, listen.
Open your listening to the sounds in the world outside the room.
Without attachment or aversion, simply listen.
Imagine you can extend your hearing far away.
Listen to the distant roar of the ocean.
Listen to the wind blowing across mountains, over plains.
Return your awareness to your body. Into your form. Into it's sounds. Into it's sensations.
As you are able, invite the exterior awareness to overlay the interior awareness. Simply. No forcing, no doing, just being in this moment of sensation.
Rest.
6/14/08
This Paradise: A meditation
It is easy this time of year to remember that we live in paradise. Corvallis is warm, blooming abundant. I look out my window at the green, purple, orange, red, pink, yellow, blossoms and new growth of the earth. I listen to the chatter of life: birds and squirrels and bugs and humans. Wednesday I walked up the hill to a friend’s home. Two yearling bucks walked right up to me in the middle of the road. We all stood very still, watching and smelling one another. Then they lazily walked into someone’s front yard and proceeded to have their lunch. Later that day I walked out my front door and flushed a moth from the side of the house. As the moth flew away from me, one of the resident house sparrows swooped right in front of my face and caught the moth. She landed on the top of the fence and ate her snack. Every afternoon the neighbor’s house cat perches herself over the vole’s hole in my yard, sitting perfectly still calling the vole out. In the mornings the young squirrels practice flying as they leap from the fir tree onto the roof of the studio and wake us up from savasana.
Yes, we do live in paradise, every single one of us. No matter where you are, no matter the time of the year. Paradise is not just Corvallis, it is this amazing world we inhabit. Listen to it. Slow down and listen. Paradise is all around you, just waiting for you to notice. Paradise is available in this moment. In spite of the burden and pain and suffering and wounds that each of us carry, paradise is here waiting for you notice.
You can begin to find paradise by simply listening. Listen to the sounds of the world around you:
Begin by hearing the sounds of the room your sitting in,
then slowly open your listening
to the space outside your room,
to the building you are in,
to the world beyond your building
soften to find your far distant hearing,
so that you may hear the distant sounds of
ocean, mountain, desert or plains
then return to the sounds of your own body
the sound of your breath
the sound of your digestion
the sound of your heart beat
Rest with gratitude for this moment and for being alive. You are another blossom on the flowering earth. Let yourself be astounded by that amazing fact.
Yes, we do live in paradise, every single one of us. No matter where you are, no matter the time of the year. Paradise is not just Corvallis, it is this amazing world we inhabit. Listen to it. Slow down and listen. Paradise is all around you, just waiting for you to notice. Paradise is available in this moment. In spite of the burden and pain and suffering and wounds that each of us carry, paradise is here waiting for you notice.
You can begin to find paradise by simply listening. Listen to the sounds of the world around you:
Begin by hearing the sounds of the room your sitting in,
then slowly open your listening
to the space outside your room,
to the building you are in,
to the world beyond your building
soften to find your far distant hearing,
so that you may hear the distant sounds of
ocean, mountain, desert or plains
then return to the sounds of your own body
the sound of your breath
the sound of your digestion
the sound of your heart beat
Rest with gratitude for this moment and for being alive. You are another blossom on the flowering earth. Let yourself be astounded by that amazing fact.
5/7/08
meditation chorus
Many of you have heard the four little miniature pinchers that live next door to the studio. When they get disturbed it is an incredible falsetto agitato chorus: “yip, yip, yip, yip, yip, yip, yip, yip….” Then my neighbor’s calm adagio baritone solo pitches in: “Quiet down, be still, enough.” The dogs eventually settle down. And the world becomes quiet again.
I listened to this short opera on Monday afternoon as I meditated. I heard my own brain reflected in the constant high pitched chatter and the calm slow reassurance. "Ahhh," I thought," this is me." Each moment in my meditation I have the possibility of both voices awakening within me: agitation and stillness. I took a deep breath and returned to observing my own mind. I’ll keep cultivating the stillness. One breath at a time.
My dear neighbor Don Ungher died unexpectedly on May 23rd, 2008, less than a month after I originally posted this blog. I will miss his presence in the neighborhood. I will miss his stoic wisdom. I will miss hearing the dogs yip. Blessings Don and Geoffrey and family.
I listened to this short opera on Monday afternoon as I meditated. I heard my own brain reflected in the constant high pitched chatter and the calm slow reassurance. "Ahhh," I thought," this is me." Each moment in my meditation I have the possibility of both voices awakening within me: agitation and stillness. I took a deep breath and returned to observing my own mind. I’ll keep cultivating the stillness. One breath at a time.
My dear neighbor Don Ungher died unexpectedly on May 23rd, 2008, less than a month after I originally posted this blog. I will miss his presence in the neighborhood. I will miss his stoic wisdom. I will miss hearing the dogs yip. Blessings Don and Geoffrey and family.
3/11/08
A Meditation Practice
Dear Sitting Still: Last week I answered your questions about why to meditate. Today I will offer you a 'how' to meditate. This is just one possibility of many ways to meditate and bring awareness into your body.
Lie down on the floor and rest. See how deeply you can rest, offering your body to gravity over and over again. Anywhere you notice tension, breathe, wiggle, and stretch into the tension and then release to let the tension go. Imagine yourself becoming a puddle, completely supported by the earth beneath you.
Begin to notice your breath. Feel your ribs stretch with each inhalation and relax with each exhale. Stay with this awareness of your ribcage for a few minutes. Stay curious as you sense and observe the breath.
Slowly turn your attention to your upper chest. Notice how your clavicles and shoulder blades respond to your breath. How does the breath press into the arms? Notice the stretch of the inhalation, the release of exhalation. Let your curiosity and attention stay in the upper chest for a few minutes.
Turn your attention now to your lower belly and pelvis. Breathe deep in your torso. How do your hips respond to the inhalation and exhalation? What happens to the floor of the pelvis? Rest your attention in your hips and pelvis for the next few minutes. Stay curious, keep observing.
Now take your attention out to the palms of your hands. Sense where they are in space. Feel the arch of the palm. Breath all the way out into the arch of your palm. Can you feel the skin expand on the inhale and relax on the exhale? It doesn't matter whether or not the sensation is real or imagined. Connect the breath with the palms for a few minutes.
Take your attention to the souls of your feet. Sense where they are in space. Feel the arch of the foot. Breathe all the way out into the arch of your foot. Can you feel the skin expand on the inhale and relax on the exhale. Remain curious and attentive to the souls of your feet for a few minutes.
Now take your attention to the top of your head. Imagine a flower blooming there. The flower opens a little further on each inhalation and relaxes on each exhalation. Rest with this image of the breath opening the crown of the head for the next few minutes.
Rest in silence now for as long as you like. Stay curious and keep your attention in your body, open and aware.
Slowly return to the present moment, to the room, to the sounds and space around you. Deepen your breathing and stretch out into your limbs. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Gently invite yourself back.
Lie down on the floor and rest. See how deeply you can rest, offering your body to gravity over and over again. Anywhere you notice tension, breathe, wiggle, and stretch into the tension and then release to let the tension go. Imagine yourself becoming a puddle, completely supported by the earth beneath you.
Begin to notice your breath. Feel your ribs stretch with each inhalation and relax with each exhale. Stay with this awareness of your ribcage for a few minutes. Stay curious as you sense and observe the breath.
Slowly turn your attention to your upper chest. Notice how your clavicles and shoulder blades respond to your breath. How does the breath press into the arms? Notice the stretch of the inhalation, the release of exhalation. Let your curiosity and attention stay in the upper chest for a few minutes.
Turn your attention now to your lower belly and pelvis. Breathe deep in your torso. How do your hips respond to the inhalation and exhalation? What happens to the floor of the pelvis? Rest your attention in your hips and pelvis for the next few minutes. Stay curious, keep observing.
Now take your attention out to the palms of your hands. Sense where they are in space. Feel the arch of the palm. Breath all the way out into the arch of your palm. Can you feel the skin expand on the inhale and relax on the exhale? It doesn't matter whether or not the sensation is real or imagined. Connect the breath with the palms for a few minutes.
Take your attention to the souls of your feet. Sense where they are in space. Feel the arch of the foot. Breathe all the way out into the arch of your foot. Can you feel the skin expand on the inhale and relax on the exhale. Remain curious and attentive to the souls of your feet for a few minutes.
Now take your attention to the top of your head. Imagine a flower blooming there. The flower opens a little further on each inhalation and relaxes on each exhalation. Rest with this image of the breath opening the crown of the head for the next few minutes.
Rest in silence now for as long as you like. Stay curious and keep your attention in your body, open and aware.
Slowly return to the present moment, to the room, to the sounds and space around you. Deepen your breathing and stretch out into your limbs. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Gently invite yourself back.
3/8/08
Meditation
Dear Yogini: What are the benefits of meditation? What is the traditional link between meditation and yoga? How do these two practices work together? ~ Sitting Still
Dear Sitting Still: Most Americans consider asana, the physical postures, to be yoga. But asana is just one of the limbs of yoga. In fact, of Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga, four would fall under the broad category meditation: Pranayama (breathing exercises); Pratyahara (control of the senses) Dharana (concentration), and Dhyana (meditation). These meditation practices are essential steps towards the yogic goal of overcoming suffering and leading a life resonant with meaning and purpose.
Asana is usually taught as a preliminary step toward sitting meditation. While Asana is a physical exercise, it is also a movement meditation and a flowing prayer. Asana increases strength, flexibility, balance and grace and the mind is trained to connect with the flow of the body and breath. This practice develops a mind-body connection that 'stills the fluctuations of the mind' so that the body can literally sit still for meditation.
Meditation practice deepens the focal power of the mind, a very useful skill. The ability to 'still mental fluctuations' allows us to live, work and accomplish our goals with less stress and less effort. We can actively relax when faced with stressful situations and let go of situations beyond our control. Stress hormones are reduced and the multitude of illnesses related to stress are abated. As the practitioner gains control of body and breath, health, vibrancy and physical well being are increased.
Continued practice of asana and meditation helps us to naturally give up unhealthy life style choices. Our natural state of being gives us deep pleasure reducing our dependence on external stimuli and this facilitates the journey of overcoming compulsions and addictions. Both our mental and physical improves and we experience a sense of freedom.
There are many great places to learn asana and meditation in Corvallis: yoga studios, athletic centers, gyms OSU and LBCC. For those ready to go deeper, Cedar and Fir Studio hosts Satsang (pranayama, chanting, and meditation) on the third Sunday of each month from 10:30a to noon (by donation). The next Satsang will happen on March 16th.
Namaste,
Yogini Lisa
Lisa Wells is the owner of Cedar and Fir Studio, a space for yoga, pilates and dance. You can pose your questions to Lisa by e-mailing her at: lisa@cedarandfir.com.
Dear Sitting Still: Most Americans consider asana, the physical postures, to be yoga. But asana is just one of the limbs of yoga. In fact, of Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga, four would fall under the broad category meditation: Pranayama (breathing exercises); Pratyahara (control of the senses) Dharana (concentration), and Dhyana (meditation). These meditation practices are essential steps towards the yogic goal of overcoming suffering and leading a life resonant with meaning and purpose.
Asana is usually taught as a preliminary step toward sitting meditation. While Asana is a physical exercise, it is also a movement meditation and a flowing prayer. Asana increases strength, flexibility, balance and grace and the mind is trained to connect with the flow of the body and breath. This practice develops a mind-body connection that 'stills the fluctuations of the mind' so that the body can literally sit still for meditation.
Meditation practice deepens the focal power of the mind, a very useful skill. The ability to 'still mental fluctuations' allows us to live, work and accomplish our goals with less stress and less effort. We can actively relax when faced with stressful situations and let go of situations beyond our control. Stress hormones are reduced and the multitude of illnesses related to stress are abated. As the practitioner gains control of body and breath, health, vibrancy and physical well being are increased.
Continued practice of asana and meditation helps us to naturally give up unhealthy life style choices. Our natural state of being gives us deep pleasure reducing our dependence on external stimuli and this facilitates the journey of overcoming compulsions and addictions. Both our mental and physical improves and we experience a sense of freedom.
There are many great places to learn asana and meditation in Corvallis: yoga studios, athletic centers, gyms OSU and LBCC. For those ready to go deeper, Cedar and Fir Studio hosts Satsang (pranayama, chanting, and meditation) on the third Sunday of each month from 10:30a to noon (by donation). The next Satsang will happen on March 16th.
Namaste,
Yogini Lisa
Lisa Wells is the owner of Cedar and Fir Studio, a space for yoga, pilates and dance. You can pose your questions to Lisa by e-mailing her at: lisa@cedarandfir.com.
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