Finding Belonging
Embrace a deeper connectedness to the experience of aging. In this exercise, you’ll explore each of your senses to meet this moment with kindness and compassion, and let go of the desire for things to be different. Led by Dr. Yenkuei Chuang, a mindfulness-based licensed psychologist.
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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...
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About your teachers
- More about Andy
A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.
- More about Eve
Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.
- More about Dora
As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.
- More about Kessonga
Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.
- More about Rosie
Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.
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