Aware of Body | Calm the Body

6 Freedom in the Moment 

  𑽇   Transcript    𑽇 

How much freedom is available to me in the present moment?

Objective: To sit, breathe and discover a larger sense of self from the inherent stability and foundation found in the present moment.

How Do We Get There?

• • Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing

Steps 1. and 2.   In - Out *1

Steps 3. and 4.    Whole Body - Calm *1

• • Mindfulness, Concentration and Insight*

Greeting New People

 Hello and welcome.

Sangha Sharing

What joy, insights, wonderment, questions and moments would you like to share?

Dharma Talk

Where to Begin with the Strong Emotions/Thoughts?

With the Body, Not the Mind , an Instagram Reel with Sister True Dedication

Collective observations and reflections

We share and listen.

A Thích Nhất Hạnh talk

Stopping and Looking Deeply | Thich Nhat Hanh (short teaching video), 17:45 

Stopping

Stop running from the past or to the future.  Rest in the moment.  Be here now.  It is here that insight can be experienced.

Stopping is the only way to be in the Present Moment

Stopping can mean to stop moving and sit but also stopping can happen while you are moving.  It can be when you are walking, running, driving, eating.  Stopping means to ground yourself in the moment.  You can be mindful while you walk.  "Where is my awareness right now?"  "Is it in the moment, BEing with what is happening right now or is it wandering in the past or the future?"  Being mindful can be done while you are doing any form of body movement: walking, running, jumping, washing the dishes, driving a car and even dancing.  

Thay gives us examples of this with walking and eating meditations.  He also provides examples in his writings and his calligraphy.  I feel it's very safe to assume that Thay grounded himself in the moment while doing his calligraphy and sitting down to begin writing.  

When I ground myself in the moment, I notice how I am more aware of my peripheral vision. I see more of the world.  

I can be in the moment when I drive.  When I approach a stop sign, I'm in the moment.  When I turn the steering wheel and accelerate, I'm in the moment.   When I am just moving along and cruising, I return to my breath and my body.  Driving while being aware of my breath, body and the road ahead is just like when I'm sitting.  I am aware of my breath, my body, my thoughts and feelings.  Sure, I don't have all those experiences equally in my awareness; however, each one is right there and as my awareness flows from one to the other, there is plenty of blending occurring.  All of those experiences are - in the moment-. 

How does One Stop?

Thay has shared the 'how to' in many videos.  You come home to your body.  You move your awareness back to your breath and your body.  This can be done in one breath.  Try it now and notice how differently you feel at the end of your out breath.

In  |  Out

While your driving, come back to your body.  While you are walking, come back to your body.  While you are jogging or exercising, come back to your body.  While you are doing your creative outlet, come back to your body.  While you are doing your hobby, come back to your body.  While you're in conversation with friends, come back to your body.  Be present in your conversation from the perspective of BEing with your body.  It grounds you in the moment.

Mindfulness, Concentration and Insight

Thay explains that when you are mindful, concentration is already there.  When those two are present, you are ripe for insight.  Insight can come while walking, exercising and chatting with your loved one.  Insight always moves us towards deeper expressions of love, either felt or expressed.  

Coming Back Home to the Body

Doing so offers us the gift of BEing in our true home and opens the door to insight so we can experience more of the moment's beauty. 

Collective observations and reflections

We share and listen.

Let's Be Here and Now

Mediation is meant to be experienced.  Open yourself to experiencing the moment.

Gathas are great a leading us; however, a conversational approach is good too.  This is your relationship with you.  : )

As you become mindfully aware, you can place your concentration anywhere you please.  I encourage you to place it on the gatha and look deeply into its meaning for you.

About  17 mins.  Bells @ 2mins.

In-Out

Deep-Slow

Bell to introduce gathas.  

* These are spoken slowly and more conversational with yourself.  Allow about 3 to 4 mins before next bell.

Hello my body - Smile to your body with gratitude

Hello my feet, you may relax.  There is no need to stand.

Hello my legs, you may relax.  There is nowhere to walk.

Hello my back, you may relax.  There is no need to support.

Hello my shoulders. you may relax.  There is no need to lift.

Hello my arms and hands,  you may relax.  There is no need to reach or grab.

In: I fill my body with air.  -  Out: I feel my body sink to where the earth touches me. 

Fill with Air.  -  Body Sink

In: Hello, Earth.   -  Out: Thank you for being there so I may walk, sit and I lie down to rest.

Hello, Earth  -  Gratitude

In: I feel myself rise from the Earth to my shoulders.  -  Out: I feel myself sink deeply into the Earth.

Rise to my shoulders  - Sink Deeply into the Earth

...I feel my awareness move through the Earth and up to my shoulders.  Then back down into the Earth.

In: I see myself as a mountain.  -  Out: I feel solid.

Mountain/Solid

Collective observations and reflections

We share and listen.