11 Meditation: Shamatha on the abdomen

2020-11med_abdomen.mp3 [00:00:00] Let’s begin by finding a confortable posture… Taking three deep breaths… always find that balance of our straight column, and stability of our body, releasing all the muscles from top to bottom… releasing any points of tension that we find in the body…

[00:01:01] Letting our body, speech and mind to settle in its natural state.

[00:01:40] Now let the respiration be natural, the breathing be natural, without controlling it, without forcing it…

[00:02:17] Very gently, bring your attention to the area of your abdomen… And focus on that space and the sensations that you have there, related with the breathing, even if they’re very soft, very subtle, tried to notice the movement of your abdomen…

[00:03:30] Any idea, sensation, stimuli… we observe it, we let it pass, and we bring back our attention toward the area of the abdomen and the sensations of the breathing…

[00:04:41] With each in-breath, we are arouse our attention… with each out-breath we release all tension and relax a little bit more deeply…

[00:06:13] With mindfulness, we bear in mind our object, the sensations of the breath in the area of the abdomen… with mindfulness, we bring back our attention to the object when we have been distracted…

[00:06:45] We remember to keep our attention in that object… This is mindfulness…

[00:08:34] Now with introspection, this faculty of the mind to observe what is happening, to monitor the state of our body and our mind. We check: Is our posture correct?… Is our head aligned with our spine?… Is our spine straight?, if not, correct posture… Is there any tension in the body?, consciously release it… Are the muscles of your face relaxed?…

[00:09:35] And check your mind: Is it constantly distracted and taken away by thoughts?… If so, relax your eyes, close them a little bit more… Focus on the out breath, releasing and relaxing… But if you’re on the other side, falling asleep, lacking clarity, sinking, then open your eyes a little bit more, let the light coming… Focus on the in-breath, awake yourself… Find joy in the practice…

[00:10:54] Now that you have applied the antidote, release introspection, and with mindfulness come back to your object: the tactile sensations of the breath in the area of the abdomen… And stay there.,,.

[00:17:38] Now, for the last part of this session, just drop, release the focus, the attention, and for a moment just rest… Make sure, the muscles of your face are completely relaxed… Do a little smile on your face, and for a moment just release all control, all doing… Just feel happy to be here and now…

[00:19:35] Slowly… open your eyes.... Stretch your body....

Transcribed by: Miguel Angel de Anquin