Going slowly to find ourselves
Please sit comfortably at the forward edge of a chair, log, bench, rock. Don’t try to sit on the ground for this, and if you can swing it, find a way to do this outside. Be barefoot or in socks to do this.
See what you feel like “sitting upright.” Don’t try for “good posture,” but do be forward so that you aren’t leaning back into the chair or whatever it is. Feel a nice, easy sitting, how your pelvis works, where you spine is, how your head is held up, how your shoulder blades rest on your back, what and where the ribs are.
Notice your breathing.
Come home to yourself and see what that is like.
Hang out here for awhile, just following your breathing.
Now, resting your left forearm on your left thigh, take your right hand from your right knee, and slowly, slowly, slowly, caress down your right leg toward your right foot. As if to touch your sock, or the inside of your foot. If you get to the floor, fine, but don’t “try” to get anywhere. Just go down the leg, and rest at the bottom.
Let your head hang freely. Notice breathing, spine, ribs, pelvis, shoulder blades, head in this position.
Then slowly, slowly rise back up and come up so that your hand is back to your right knee, all the while staying resting your weight partly with the left elbow on your left knee.
Do this “many times,” which could be five, could be thirty, and make each time pleasurable and a learning experience and an awareness meditation. Look for something slightly new to discover each time you go down and back up.
Rest.
Rest means to come upright-ish. Even to lean back in the chair if it’s what you are sitting in. Rest and feel yourself after this small amount of low effort, high awareness movement.
Now, come to the same left forearm on the left thigh arrangement, and play with these variations; as you take your right hand down the inside of your right calf, one time going down look (slowly, slowly, with awareness, ease and learning) to the left and bring your nose facing back to the middle as you come up, and the next time, easily and just a slight amount if you have any “neck issues,” turn your head to the right the next time you go down.
A little tiny bit is fine.
The brain learns from differences.
Notice the different going down head to the left, head to the right, head in the middle.
Go slowly and gently enough to be able to notice differences.
Many times again.
Each time learn and feel something new.
Look for the pleasure and the differences. You don’t need at all to be able to verbalize the differences, but see if you can feel/ sense/ notice them. Awareness is the tool, and it is it’s own reward, you will discover.
Rest. And use the rests to integrate whatever learning you have.
Now place again the left forearm on your left knee and this time take your right hand down the inside of your left calf and back up again. Go slowly. Feel how this is different in your ribs and pelvis and spine and head. Enjoy noticing. Enjoy learning. Enjoy going slowly and being in a meditative state.
Rest.
Now do this same right hand down the inside of the left leg movement with the two variations of head one time to the left, even a slight amount is fine, and one time, your head turned to the right.
Do this slowly.
Rest.
Sit “upright” and notice any differences.
Get up and walk around and notice how it is to be you.
Then sit again, and repeat the this to the other side:
Right forearm on right knee, and left hand first down the left leg, and then the right.
And at each side trying out the three possibilities of head straight down, head to the right, and head to the left.
Don’t rush this second side.
If you are in a hurry, don’t be, but leave it alone and come back to it later.
This is your life.
You are worth going slowly with. This meditation is your chance to be with you in a kind and gentle and present way.
Good.
