The following is a meditation for the first fundamental motivation of existential analysis, helping us answer the question of can I be with an affirmative yes.
The speaker and creator is Graham Nelson-Zutter.
Please take a moment to find a seated position where there's support for the back and an ability to place your feet flat on the ground.
It may also be helpful to have a posture where your back is fairly vertical and there's little strain on your neck, perhaps where your head is centered above your spinal column.
If this isn't possible, the variation includes back support where there are pillows that can support the weight of your neck.
The goal here is to not sit with any strain and to find some ease in your posture.
In addition to your feet being planted flat on the floor, I invite you to place your hands on your lap.
If it's possible to close your eyes today, I invite you to do that as well.
If for any reason it doesn't feel safe to keep your eyes closed, go ahead and open them and find a place where you can rest your gaze, somewhere where there isn't any activity or distraction.
Let's start by connecting with the experience of our feet on the ground,
noticing how it is for the bottoms of our feet to be in contact with the floor.
Perhaps we're wearing socks or shoes or slippers.
Maybe there's a carpet between our feet and the floor.
Just taking a moment to notice these layers and textures and materials between our feet to the floor.
Perhaps there's a feeling of softness and firmness
and also noticing the flatness and stability of the floor.
The stillness of the floor.
See if it's possible to place your attention under your toes, noticing what is it like for my toes to be connected with the floor?
Shifting to the pads of your feet, noticing the contact there and the arches of your feet and also your heels.
Be noticing the difference in pressure between your toes and the floor and your heels on the floor,
seeing if you can draw your attention to your ankles, up to your calf muscles.
Perhaps this is a point where there's contact with your chair or couch.
If that's present, just noticing that contact beginning
and then shifting towards the back of your knees, around the hinge of your knees, starting with your hamstrings.
As you travel down your hamstrings, noticing the contact with your chair or couch.
Perhaps there's a shift or a change in pressure as you move your focus from the back of your knees down your hamstrings towards your glutes,
noticing the difference in pressure below your torso versus your thighs.
Perhaps here you can perceive that the couch or chair that you're on also has this mix of soft and firmness.
Next, see if it's possible to shift your awareness to your lower back, noticing where your hips and back connect and where the support from your chair starts to come from behind.
Becoming aware of the shift of support from below and under to this new form of support from behind.
Gently traveling up to your mid -back, following your spinal column,
moving up towards your shoulders, your shoulder blades, noticing the sensations of support for your back from behind,
and seeing if it's possible to shift your awareness to your neck.
Perhaps there's support here, contact or not.
If your head is vertically above your spine, just noticing how your head is resting on your neck and shoulders.
And if you have pillows supporting your neck and head, just noticing that form of support as well.
And be asking yourself the question, is it possible to receive even more of this support at this time?
Next, see if it's possible to shift your awareness towards your breathing without the need to change how you're breathing. When
you inhale, perhaps you experience some coolness around your nostrils or lips.
And when you exhale, perhaps there's some warmth around your nostrils and lips.
When you inhale, maybe you can feel the sensation in your chest, the sensation of expansion and opening.
And when you exhale, perhaps you can feel the sensation of rest and release.
Noticing that with every breath, the space within you becomes present.
Next, I invite you to notice your skin.
Taking a moment to become aware of the places where your skin is exposed to the air.
Perhaps this is your hands or wrists or arms or neck and your face.
Just noticing these areas of the body that are in direct contact with the air.
Taking a moment to experience what it's like to touch the air to your skin.
Maybe you feel coolness or warmth from the air around you.
Perhaps you notice stillness or movement of air.
Taking a moment also to notice your skin.
That your skin seems to have two sides of it on one side is the part that connects with the outside world.
And the other part holding you and your body.
Maybe noticing the flexibility of the skin.
And see now if you can expand your awareness to your clothing.
Noticing the parts of the body that have clothing.
Perhaps you have the sensation of different fabrics and textures.
Maybe even light pressure.
Perhaps there's a difference in temperature.
Noticing as well that your clothing is like a second skin.
It too has this inside and outside quality.
On the outside is the world around you.
And on the inside of your clothes is you.
Wherever you go today your clothing is there with you.
And so is your skin.
Both working together to provide this flexible boundary of protection wherever you go.
Perhaps noticing that your skin and your clothing don't really require your active involvement. They're just there. They're all connected to part of you.
There's nothing here for you to do.
This natural and flexible boundary is here and does not require your intervention.
It just is. It will follow you where you go.
You can just be with it.
And the same is true of your breathing and breath.
Whether you focus on your breath or not, your body will continue to breathe for you.
You've been breathing this time and you will continue to breathe.
The same is true of the support that is here for you.
This couch, this chair, this floor.
They're here.
They don't require you to do anything to receive their support.
You're invited to shift your awareness from having to do something to instead be
at this moment and this time.
The support is here at this moment and this time.
There's space in your chest to breathe.
And at this moment and this time your skin and your clothing provide this natural flexible boundary to protect you and your body.
When it feels appropriate, taking your time,
I invite you to gently open your eyes and return to this shared space.
