Exploring Focused and Open Awareness

Open

Came outside to do my meditation today sitting amongst the flowers feels like I haven’t sat here in over a week. Feel so much more grounded and awake sitting here with my bare feet in the dirt particularly disturbing anything just watching and listening and feeling the wind blow. I like it so much because this is what piece feels like

I feel......

Less stressed of all of the things I have to do. I also feel that I need to focus on more important thing then others. I also feel peace and happiness flowing through my body and this meditation helped to do that.✌️

Peaceful and Gentle

I chose the seven minute practice, which might be a little long if you’re not very stressed. I was ready to finish about a minute before the session ended, but that meant that it achieved its purpose as I was calm and relaxed.

Awareness of the Breath

Focus on your breathing. Focus all of your awareness inward on one part of the body where you can feel your body move with the breath. Open your awareness to other parts of the body where you can feel your body move with the breath. You will begin to realize that there are many places in your body that move with the breath. Each breath is different moment to moment. Having this awareness will keep you focused and grounded. Have a wonderful day! ❤️🙏🏻😊

Focussing independently

Before I began this meditation I thought to myself “I wonder if I should start doing meditation without guidance and see how I can focus by myself because I find I am always waiting for instructions”. This meditation was perfect as it gave me just enough guidance to get me on my way and then would leave me for a long enough time to focus on my own, and every now and then would check in. What a great way to help me move into independently focussing 😊

Being in the moment

I think meditation teaches us to be in the moment. This meditation helped me to be focused and realize the breath in every area of my body. And that made me realize how important it is. You know we only have one life on this planet. There’s 24 hours in each day. 365 days in a year. Approximately 80 years in a life (those fortunate enough can live longer). But if you think about it, we do not have much time on this planet. Therefore, we must make the best out of every day. Sure bad experiences will arise, but they will soon be replaced with good experiences. I’ve always thought that life is about the outlook you have. If you have a negative outlook— you’re going to attract other negative life forces. If you’re positive— you’re going to attract other positive life forces. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk lol

Changing Moment

Everything is changing moment to moment. No two moments are the same just as no two breaths are the same. In this meditation, Carla-Jo has us explore our breath in a focused awareness in the body and then expand it to include open awareness in the body. Getting settled in my chair, I brought focused awareness to the areas where I often feel my breath, such as the air flowing in and out of my nostrils and my chest and belly rising and falling. Every now and then I noticed thoughts enter my mind and how they changed moment to moment. I brought my attention back to my breath and just sat with it for awhile, taking note of how each one of my breaths changed moment to moment. Opening my awareness to include other areas in the body where I felt my breath, I noticed how my upper back moved with each breath. I noticed how my thighs even move ever so subtle with each breath. I expanded my awareness even further and noticed subtle sounds occurring in my body as well as more lurid sounds occurring in my surroundings. Whether my awareness is focused or open, one thing is for sure. With each changing moment, I am aware that I am aware. Namaste 🙏🏻❤️☮️

Breath

I was really able to focus on my breath and breathing with this 7 minute meditation.

Breath

“Seeing” the breath interact with the entire body...very peaceful.

Feeling the breath

This meditation reminded me to Brooks on where I feel the breath when I meditate. I really liked the fact this meditation expanded beyond the idea of choosing one area to focus on when feeling breath I had never for instance thought about peeling the breath in the tops of my legs before. Spending the awareness of my breath Taught me that it doesn’t matter what part of the body you Focus on. The most important thing that matters when you meditate is coming back to the breath when your mind wanders hi I am grateful to those who work for this app for teaching me this lesson and for the communityOn this app for taking the time to read this post. I hope you are all OK and happy and well.

Passing thoughts

I had a lot of thoughts that popped up because of the music loop I heard in the background, but I kept gently redirecting my attention to my breath and allowed the thoughts to pass on by.

Morning mediatation

Focusing on the breath to bring attention back to my body away from thoughts. It comes naturally to me now. I feel the progress I've made. This quiet time in the morning helps tremendously. To use my breath as an anchor. It's soothing and feels great. I really enjoy this alone time. Thank you. ❤️