Finding Belonging

In this meditation, we will begin by establishing an embodied awareness of your six sense doors, sounds, touch, smell, taste, sight, and thoughts. If some are not available to you, simply stay present with the ones that are. So settling into the body as it is now. As you breathe in, aware of breathing in. As you breathe out, aware of the whole body breathing out. Noticing the sensations of breathing as air touches your inner nostrils. Notice the sensations of air touching the entire surface skin of your whole body. This is the sense door of touch. Bring your awareness now to the sense door of smell. The smelling happening. And is it pleasant, unpleasant, or neither? How about the sense door of taste? Is tasting happening in the mouth, the tongue? Is it pleasant, unpleasant, or neither? Noticing the sound of my voice. This is the sense door of hearing. Sounds in the room and outside, birds, traffic. Hearing is happening. Is seeing happening as well? With the eyes closed, there's seeing of shadows and images in the mind's eyes. Take a moment now to open your eyes, and see all around the room. Allow a soft gaze to flow lightly without attaching to anything. Now gently close, allow the eyes to close. Are there thoughts coming up, commenting on what was seen? This is the sense door of the mind, when you notice thinking happening. Is it possible to be aware of thinking happening without getting involved in the thoughts? Embodying the six sense doors to whatever extent is available. Not judging, not liking or disliking, simply noticing, noticing that constant flow, and allowing the direct experience of sensory change, sounds, touch, smell, taste, sight, and thoughts. Not liking, not disliking, not resisting or sticking to anything. Is there a sense of peacefulness in knowing change without having to do something about it? Allow the sense of peacefulness to be felt in the whole body as it softens and relaxes. Ease, tranquility, peace. Peace in the midst of change. Peace that comes from letting be, letting changes be. What are some changes that have happened in your life? Jobs, relationships, living situations, family and friends. Everything that aging brings in having lived many years, external changes as well as internal ones. This body that is no longer as youthful, agile, and strong as it once was. This mind that is forgetting more, and perhaps a heart that is burdened by disappointments and memories. Staying close to the body. What is known directly at the six sense doors as you contemplate? Is there a contraction and agitation? Is there a wanting of things to be different? A stickiness and clinging to what cannot be changed? What's it like to put that energy down? Accept what cannot be changed. Pause, relax, and breathe into this process of letting be. Or is there worry, fear the future health of this body, mind, heart, financial and relationship insecurities. Fears of not...