Tara Brach

You might notice passing moods, feelings, emotions.

In the background is that awake presence, that which is aware, the subjective essence of your being.

Rest in that relaxed, awake presence.

Noticing what's happening moment to moment.

For some, as a way of quieting the mind or calming in the foreground, you might attend to just the waves of the breath.

Let the breath be your friend, your home base.

Feeling the inflow and the outflow.

Moment to moment, the sensations of the breath.

Whole body expanding and then deflating.

Even on a cellular level.

For some, rather than the breath, it can help just to feel the sensations in the hands or the feet or the sensations of the sitting posture.

Moment to moment as a way to steady and quiet the mind.

You'll notice at some point that you're no longer resting in presence, that the mind has carried you off into the future, the past.

It's totally natural.

And when you notice it, you have a choice.

You can relax back, relax back into presence, reopening the attention, listening to sounds,

Reopen the sensitivity to the body perhaps by seeing what might want to relax a little more in your body.

Maybe letting go in the shoulders again.

Maybe bringing a slight smile to the mouth and relaxing through the face.

Maybe relaxing your heart.