Guided Practice
Guided Stillness Meditation
Your primary goal in the initial meditation is to guide students in achieving stillness with a balance of ease and effort, beginning with instructions on finding a comfortable seat and then cultivating focus and surrender once settled. The subsequent 10-minute guided meditations incorporate visualization methods to engage individuals fully in the practice of stillness, offering the option to use these techniques as presented or adapt them to align more closely with your personal approach.
An Ancient Path to Stillness
This practice is based on the ancient teachings of Dharana 58 of the Vijnana Bhairava which states, “In a moving vehicle, by rhythmically swaying, experience. Or in a still vehicle, by letting yourself swing in slowing invisible circles.” The emphasis is on allowing the wobble to come to stillness on its own, allowing us to experience stillness without the will.
A Mental Path to Stillness
This practice was originally taught to me by Sri ShambhavAnanda during a Monday night meditation program at Eldorado Yoga Ashram in 2007. I have heard him teach this many times since then as a simple method for focusing the mind.
An Auditory Path to Stillness
The exploration of mindful listening is a gateway to the present moment and a form of deep mindfulness, focusing on receptivity, relaxation, and natural awareness, allowing sounds to effortlessly guide our attention and presence. This is especially effective for individuals with an affinity for sound and music.
A Moving Path to Stillness
Though not a practice of stillness, Walking Meditation meditation is a practice of smoothness that can allow a new meditator an experience of effortless effort and sustained focus without the burden of physical stillness. The practice taught here is based on the natural movements of the body, seeking to explore smooth natural movement as a means of internal focus.
A Tactile Path to Stillness
In this meditation, the focus lies on the sensation or visualization of touch, recognizing that individuals may vary in their sensory preferences, whether towards touch, visualization, or sound, utilizing the imagery of being enveloped in chocolate and allowing it to solidify as a means for practitioners to safely delve into the concept of stillness through tactile stimulation.
A Visualized Path to Stillness
This meditation emphasizes deep and rich visualization detail to capture and focus the imagination of the practitioner. Do you have a way of visualizing a scene that can help your student find stillness? If so, please feel free to write about it in the comments section!