Practice- Embodied Awareness of Busyness
by meditative - September 24th, 2011.Filed under: Insight Meditation Exercises.
You can “take pause” and perform this simple practice whenever you sense the day to be unruly and frenetically busy- whether you are at work or at home. The “object” here is to sense the embodied feeling of busyness, rather than to your narrative or storyline about it. Be honest, open, and caring with your awareness of whatever feelings you may experience in the body when taking this time for reflection- and in making this inquiry…
Here and now- What are you doing?… Is your activity at work or at home?… Are in you in the company of others, or are you alone?… Are you presently engaged by your inner voice of “self-talk”, and, if so, gently let go of these narrative streams of mind. As best you can, allow for an “openness” of being- curious & receptive to whatever is…
Take 2-3 deep breaths here in this moment and gently tune in to your body . . . breathing into whatever you may feel with this open, non-judgmental, and caring awareness…
Where do you feel this “busyness” in the body? . . . Is there a clear, physical imprint of this energy? . . . Are there butterflies in your stomach? . . . Is there tightness in your chest, shoulders, or face? . . . Is there light-headedness or a dazed sense of being?… Are you agitated or tense?. . . or are you at peace with this busyness?
As best you can, following whatever sensations you may be experiencing in the body- and accepting wherever they lead you. Here, we are not trying to manipulate or make them go away- simply to experience them as they are- objectively and compassionately.
The only thing that matters in this particular exercise is your willingness to be aware and stay present to your feeling or feelings.