Step 3: Meditation

The facilitator guides the participants through meditation with a soothing voice. The meditation is called “The Breathing Space.” Follow this example (5 minutes):   

1. (Points 1 to 4 are about 1 minute) Take a deep breath and sit comfortably. Allow the tension to leave your body. Close our eyes, and open your mind to allow awareness in. Allow whatever comes up to be present. Do not judge, resist, or cling to whatever is there. It is all information which can be helpful and lead to insights. Just be.  
   1. How are you? What is here now?
2. What bodily sensations are there?  
   
   1. Maybe there is tension of pressure.  
   2. Plenty of energy or little. 
   3. Feelings of comfort or discomfort.
   4. Warmth or coldness.  
   5. Just observe, there is nothing to do, nothing to fix. Just be.
3. What feelings or emotions are there?  
   
   1. Perhaps there are pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feelings.  
   2. Perhaps emotions such as gratefulness, unrest, sadness, happiness, anxiety, or anger.  
   3. Whatever is there, let it be. Do not resist or cling to it. Just be.
4. What thoughts or thought processes are there?
   
   1. Many or few?  
   2. Positive or negative?  
   3. Focused on the future or past?  
   4. Thoughts that encourage you to do something?  
   5. Just notice, do not judge, or try to step, just let them be. 
      
5. (Pointes 5 to 6 are about 1 minute) As you are letting everything be, bring your awareness to your belly / abdomen. Pay attention to the rise and fall of your belly during the inhalation and exhalation.  
   
   1. Your breath is anchoring you in the middle of all those thoughts and feelings, making it rise and disappear in the background. 
6. Give your breath all your attention. Whenever your attention drifts, just smile and kindly return it to your breath. It is ok. Focus on: 
   
   1. slowing the inhalation and the exhalation; 
   2. breathing a little deeper; 
   3. a little slower and let your body relax; 
   4. just breathing. Being fully present at this moment.
7. (Points 7 to 9 are about 1 minute) Now expand the field of your awareness in this very moment, expand it further to your body as a whole. From your stomach to the rest of your body.  
   
   1. Pay attention to your posture.  
   2. Feel the contours of your body.  
   3. Notice your facial expression. And the muscles of your face.  
   4. If you notice that there is still tension in your body, breathe in relaxation, and breathe out the tension. 
8. Now become aware of the space around your body. The larger space.  
   
   1. The space in front of you. 
   2. The space on your right.  
   3. The space on your left.  
   4. The space behind you.  
   5. The space above you. 
   6. The space beneath you.  
9. From this embodied presence, this awareness of yourself and your surroundings, ask yourself the question: What is most needed?