Open Monitoring Mindful Leadership 160406

Transcript

all righty and so I'm going to guide us through a five minute open monitoring practice a practice in which we will cultivate a state of greater mindful awareness by first concentrating our attention around the breath to establish an steadiness an anchor and then expand awareness around the breath around the body to more fully receive and be open and receptive to the larger field of awareness and so we'll begin by lowering or closing our eyes whichever you prefer and bringing yourself into a posture that is upright and stable as you breathe aware of the posture aware of the body sitting and where the body makes contact with the chair or cushion beneath you aware of the body moving with the breath the belly expanding lifting on the in-breath softening on the out-breath aware of the breath flowing through the body of the sensations of the in-breath and of the out-breath and then expanding the field of awareness around the sensations of the breath and of the body filling the space of the room in which you are sitting noticing the temperature of the air caressing your skin or of the movement of air making contact with your body as you breathe aware of sound open and receptive to sound near and far coming in going with ears that are hearing is if for the first time many ways we're embodying the stance of a mountain present grounded while open and receptive to whatever is arising noticing but not getting pulled away and the breath and the returning to the breath or the sensations of the body the mountain can anchor us and steady us if we should find our attention being pulled away being tugged aware of breathing and of the larger field of awareness around the breath even thoughts thoughts arising passing away like the movement of air like sound as we witness as we observe that which is arising around us and even from within us as we breathe bringing awareness directing awareness to the body sitting in the chair to the sensations of the body sitting and of the body breathing and when you're ready in the next moment or two to lift the gaze open the eyes