Welcome to day two of Gateway to Presence. Congratulations on completing your first day! Our intention for today is awareness. By simply being aware of this moment (which is all there is) we naturally decrease our worries about the future and our sadness/regret/rumination of the past. Be aware of how you feel present throughout your day. Let’s get started!

Some of us are in the habit of needing to “do” something to feel satisfied and that includes meditating. You don’t succeed at meditation by trying hard. Instead, we learn to use a gentle, easy focus. As with any natural experience, too much effort can ruin the process. Have you ever tried to force sleep, only to be wider awake than when you started? What about trying to force your way through a creative block? The result can be less than your most creative work. Meditation is the same way. Cultivating focus takes practice and consistency. By engaging in meditation, our action-oriented left brain gets a reprieve as our intuitive and emotional right brain has an opportunity to be accessed in a more meaningful way. As we meditate, we encounter a more balanced approach to our brain chemistry. When we are in the throws of left-brain situations that might be stressful, meditation enables us to come up with creative and inspiring solutions in the moment. By not trying too hard, we invite a new way of relating to ourselves. After all, we are human beings, not human doings!

That’s right, you heard me – the bathroom. For many of us, our bathrooms can be considered an oasis – the one place to grab some “me” time. Here are a few options to consider in the bathroom:

• Bathtub/Shower: Grab a pillow and sit in an upright position in your empty tub.
• Toilet (with lid closed): For a bit more cushion, grab a pillow to sit on. Comfort is key!

If the bedroom was successful for you yesterday, feel free to stick with that.  If the bathroom seems too outrageous to you, simply make a note on your meditation tracker.

Before Bed: In general, it is not recommended to meditate 2-3 hours before bedtime as some techniques can activate the brain. However, for techniques including breath and body awareness, bedtime can be a beneficial time. Like yesterday’s morning meditation, you will be tempted to lie down. Falling asleep is fine and simply a sign that you need more sleep. Sitting upright will help you experience the full benefits of the meditation.

If morning was successful for you yesterday, feel free to stick with that. However, you won’t know if bedtime works for you unless you try it! As a bonus, you could try today’s 5-minute meditation in the morning, and the 10-minute meditation in the evening before bed. Be sure and take notes in your meditation tracker.

Continue to grow your practice by adding time through these bonus meditations. The goal is to build up to twenty minutes daily, but try not to jump ahead until you’ve mastered five minutes consistently. It’s okay to take it slow. Remember, we are building our mindfulness muscle. Pacing and consistency is key.

10 Minute Body Awareness

15 Minute Body Awareness

20 Minute Body Awareness