Practice Point: Spacious Mind Meditation
Have you ever felt that your mind was so cluttered with thoughts, that one more request, one more “can you please …”, one more disturbing event sends you into a quagmire of emotions and stress.
Our minds are filled with thoughts—memories, to-do’s, plans, worries, distractions. When we are faced with so many competing demands on our time and energy, sometimes we need to narrow our focus, prioritise. That can be useful to get things done but while we’re focused on what we’re doing, life continues and we can miss what’s going on around us.
Instead, in Buddhism, meditation is seen as a tool to create mental space—space to contemplate our thoughts and emotions, and give us perspective. This meditation from “The Meditation Bible” aims to create that mental spaciousness we need.
The practice
Settle into a position either seated or lying down.
Make any adjustments you need to ensure that you feel safe, warm and supported.Take your attention to the breath and focus on the exhalation.
It might help to count each exhalation, say up to 10.When you feel ready, stop counting the exhalation and continue to focus on each exhalation.
Notice the calmness and space that comes at the end of each exhalation.
Explore that feeling of calmness and space.
Imagine that you’re breathing out into a space filled with light and with each exhalation, that space is getting larger.Rest in this space and light.
When you are ready, deepen the breath, gently rouse your body and end the meditation.
Calms the mind
Provides mental spaciousness
References
The Meditation Bible: The definitive guide to meditation,
Madonna GaudingNoticing Space, Ajahn Sumedho, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, Fall 1995
An Open, Spacious Awareness for an Open, Spacious Life, Larry Yang, HuffPost
Spacious Mind, Rev. Kinrei Bassis, Berkeley Buddhist Priory