Embodied Uplifting into Vastness: A Meditation with Dr. Rick Hanson
In this meditation, we rest in the simple miracle of breathing — feeling supported by the body, the air, and the many forces that sustain life. As awareness moves through the belly, diaphragm, and heart, we open to steadiness, peace, and compassion. Gradually, this presence expands into the whole body — and into a felt sense of our own basic goodness and higher purpose. A gentle practice for returning home to yourself, one breath at a time.
The talk this week focused on How to Shift Your Thoughts and Feelings about Others: https://rickhanson.com/talk-meditation-how-to-shift-your-thoughts-and-feelings-about-others/
If you would like to join the free, online Wednesday Meditations, sign up here: https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/
If you would like to donate to the weekly Wednesday Talk + Meditations, you can do that here: https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/dana-offerings/
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Ah, how about a few full
breaths if you're comfortable with that?
You might have a feeling of gratitude for the breath.
Simple thankfulness.
Ah, air to breathe.
Ah, still breathing.
Thank you.
Right there we have so much that is good.
Being in the present of breathing now.
And recognizing some of the many ways that you are being lived and
supported by so many things, so many good things.
Air we breathe, the gravity that helps us
not float off into space,
heart that is beating, awareness continuing.
The residues of good experiences in your life, in your body,
supporting you as we come to rest here.
Establishing the intention to remain present.
There's a metaphor of the mind like a puppy, sometimes wandering
off.
Want to scold the puppy, we just bring it back,
bring it back. Same with the mind.
If you're comfortable doing this, I will draw your attention
to progressively several areas of the
body to be aware of while breathing.
And to use this as an opportunity to...
Perhaps release some things and open into some things.
And if the breath is uncomfortable for you as an object of meditation,
feel very free to switch to something else.
So to begin...
Can you be aware of the lower area of your abdomen?
Maybe a little below the navel, sometimes referred
to as the hara.
With an awareness of sensation in that area as you breathe.
And from time to time, along with a sense of
basic aliveness, a grounded here-ness.
Related to sensations of breathing in the lower abdomen.
As you have a sense of basic aliveness that feels
sturdy and grounded,
you can let in that sense of sturdiness, stability,
ongoingness.
And let that sense spread throughout your awareness and body.
Then can you let awareness move
to the diaphragm area beneath your rib cage?
And you can feel the diaphragm rising and
falling.
Perhaps moving outward and inward as you
inhale and exhale.
And as you're aware of breathing in your
diaphragm.
Be aware of any background sense of uneasiness,
apprehensiveness, or anxiety, and see if you
can let that go while breathing in
the area of your diaphragm.
And as you let go of any unnecessary
anxiety in the present,
See if you can let in.
A growing sense of peacefulness.
While being aware of breathing in the diaphragm.
Along with this peacefulness, there could be an outward
flowing awareness of your surround.
While allowing yourself to feel at peace.
In this peacefulness and release of anxiety,
you might be aware of a sense of calm strength.
As you continue to feel the breath in
the diaphragm.
And you can allow the sense of peaceful, calm
strength to spread throughout your body and
awareness.
Then let awareness move to the area of your heart.
And the sensations of breathing there.
And as you breathe in the area of the heart,
you can find a sense of opening.
Your chest opening.
The front of your body opening.
All of you opening as you breathe in the area
of the heart.
Aware of the heart area, you could find feelings
such as compassion, kindness.
Friendliness, even love.
If your mind wanders, bring it back.
And see if you can be aware of a basic goodness
in yourself as you breathe in the area
of the heart.
Deeply good intentions.
A lovingness in you, a decency in you.
It's all right that there are sometimes exceptions.
If fundamentally, deep down, You
have a basic goodness.
We can often find this sense as we breathe in the area of the
heart.
Can you let yourself feel your basic goodness?
And then can you be aware of breathing as the
whole body?
Finding a sense of your body as a whole.
Abiding as a whole body breathing.
Staying present as you breathe.
Feeling your whole body.
And as you breathe as the whole body.
You can be aware of a kind of uplifting.
Perhaps experienced as a rising energy in your body,
moving up your back or your front or both as you breathe.
Or more broadly, while staying present,
a sense of your higher purposes, lifting
you up and drawing you to a higher happiness,
a greater fulfillment, a greater
happiness.
You could find your identity in this uplift,
in these rising purposes.
As who you are.
As how you want to live in this life.
Perhaps like a rising fountain or a wellspring
lifting up through you.
Who you are.
I'll be quiet for the rest of the meditation.