(Not) Figuring it out
a breath practice
This practice arose from a few things woven together during our morning Somatic Meditation practice.
An awareness of being tired of something. Actually, lots of somethings.
An awareness of the many beings and things that I treasure.
Revisiting the question: “How do you want to be seen or understood in this moment?”
And an answer: “As someone who doesn’t have it all figured out.” Because really, how could we possibly have this figured out when the world is on fire? And at the same time aren’t we expected to have it all figured out?
Allowing ourselves to be. To be in process. And to find the next right step.
The Practice:
Moving into our practice by trusting that we don’t have to figure out how to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together.
And finding a pause with each offered invitation to listen to what’s arising and to trust ourselves to choose the next right step.
Starting by taking time to find a comfortable seat.
And arriving here, in this moment.
Giving yourself time to arrive here.
And then you might allow the eyes to close or the gaze to gently soften.
To let your focus arrive with the breath.
With no agenda here.
Just following the breath with gentle curiosity.
You might notice the pauses.
The spaces.
Observing their quality.
Of rest.
Or maybe holding.
Allowing yourself to be surprised by what you find here.
In the pause.
The space that’s not inhale.
That’s not exhale.
Taking time to just observe.
No need to figure anything out.
Perhaps noticing how the breath shifts.
With your presence.
With being seen.
And just staying here.
With the breath.
And then from this place, the next invitation is to notice something about the breath that you treasure.
Perhaps it’s a comfortable or familiar phase of the breath.
Getting to know what’s here for you.
Nourishing you.
Offering something.
And perhaps observing how that part of the breath changes into something else.
And then returns on the next round of breath.
Here again to treasure.
Perhaps in a slightly different way.
Or perhaps something has changed here.
And noticing how you approach this treasure’s arrival.
Its disappearance.
This thing about the breath that you love.
Allowing yourself to stay here.
For as long as you’d like.
For as long as you need.
Letting this support you.
And hold your attention.
…
And then, from this place, the next invitation is to bring awareness to something about the breath that you’re wanting to not notice.
Maybe something uncomfortable.
Or burdensome.
Maybe it’s quite tiny.
Or completely overwhelming.
Becoming curious about how you approach this thing.
Maybe moving away from it.
Averting your gaze.
Or coming close, to try to figure it out.
Or change it.
Or make it go away.
This thing that you’re tired of.
Or burdened with.
Worried about.
Or scared of.
Giving yourself permission to acknowledge it.
This bit of the breath that’s uncomfortable.
Every time it comes around.
Noticing how it arises and fades.
And perhaps becoming aware of something different about it with each round of the breath.
Something that changes or shifts about this thing.
Or about how you are holding it.
And then from this place, the invitation is to allow yourself to take a step back from the observing the breath.
To release your attention and let the breath return to its natural rhythm.
To let it return to the background.
Where it continues to expand and release.
To inhale and exhale.
And then inviting awareness to come to the whole body.
To all of the edges of your body taking up space in the world around you.
Letting yourself sense the contact you are making with the ground beneath you.
Allowing yourself to be held and received by the ground.
To be held and received in this space.
And sensing the energy field around you.
Your boundaries.
This layer of protection between you and the world.
Feeling into what’s here around you.
Its size.
Its strength.
Noticing what’s here for you.
Taking time to feel its presence.
And then as we prepare to bring our practice to a close, returning again to the breath.
Checking back in with what you love.
And finding a just right place to hold this.
And checking back in with what might be uncomfortable.
And setting down what is ready to be released.
Trusting yourself to find a just right place for this as well.
Knowing that everything doesn’t need to be figured out right now.
And noticing what happens while tending to just a piece or two.
And then ending our practice with words gratitude:
Thanking yourself for choosing to make time for this practice.
Thanking the many teachers, cultures and lineages who have brought us this practice for our collective liberation.
And thanking your inner teacher and true self.
And then closing our practice with a breath in oneness.
Inhaling.
And exhaling.