Things I Learned about Meditation from Tara Brach

image from APA - A Blend of Buddhism and Psychology

Begin - take several full breaths.  releasing slowly.  letting go.  gently releasing very slow outbreaths;  soften down the length of the body; relax with inflow; relax with outflow

let breath resume its natural cycle; lungs like balloons; feel sensations... what its like to be here now; realize degree of presence.. maybe you are more awkae

sense state of heart... how is my heart? open? closed? tender? numb? fearful? soft?

set intention: what bring you here tonight? what's your aspiration? listen for inner fire.. what's your pure intention?   (presence? open heart? deeper understanding? touching peace?)

inner atmosphere of befriending/receptivity; intimate attention

relax into tension, start with your brow, eyes; smile into heart, shoulders go back and down; untangle, loosen, dissolve, make room in the chest

feel the whole body, sitting here breathing.

scan the body, let go, soften, loosen

soften hands, feel life from the inside out; have a receptive presence

relax belly, receive next breath with softening belly;

sense aliveness deep in torso

sense opennes in chest, softening in belly,

sense length, volume of legs, feel feet from the inside out

Sense whole body as field of sensation; 

not opposing, not controlling, just interested, open attention. 

let everything happen... notice experience when you don't oppose anything... letting life live through you; relax with what's happening; surendiering presence; 

include sounds, sound ppearing disappearing, attentionveness to changin river of phenomenon; let sounds wash thru you

see how fully you can say yes... letting everything happen;

re-relax and open body; feel dance of sensations; relax and open the heart; receptive to changing emotions and moods, the weather system; exploring what it means to truly say yes to the life that's here

listen to and feel the whole moment; rest in openness, wakefulness

our practice is to ntoice when we've drifted into a 'virtual reality' and relax back right here

sense and rest with movement of breaths

to know that you're here, right now. 

sense awakeness in "that which knows" that's always been here; rest in alerness, awakeness, wholeness of being;

realize the contraction of mind into future, past... realize and come back with curiosity, rediscover what's right here.

 

These are notes from some guided meditation sessions, including "Letting Life Live Through You" and "Coming Home to Being" and "Know that You're Here"