Day 10: I Am That

Hey everyone, it's meditation number 10. Similar to yesterday, we're going to focus on So Hum, and yesterday I said it's generally considered to be an internalizing mantra, but the truth is we all have a different experience. So some of you might be feeling it's not so internalizing, might even just be really challenging, but let's give it another try again today. So find your seat, close your eyes, and start your process. Paying attention to your body, begin at the base.

Make sure you've set yourself up just right, not too much pressure on the feet or in the knees, and getting either centered or slightly on the front side of your sitting bones. And then having that moment where you really feel the base root down. So you're grounding at the physical level, but also at the energetic level. You're here, you've carved out the 21 minutes, get grounded. It's almost like a commitment to your meditation.

And then move your attention up the spine, aligning, lifting. Not sinking or slouching at all, and as you go up through the crown of your head, chin parallel to the floor, all sides of the neck are balanced, align the shoulders, gently pulling the shoulder heads back until it feels like they're in alignment with your ears. And then again, it's like you've created the structure, you've created the scaffolding physically in order to sit. And then you can start to relax everything around that structure, axing your face and your eyes behind the lids, closing the mouth, teeth together without tension, tongue to the roof of the mouth resting. Just going all the way down your body, shoulders soft, belly soft, grounding once again.

And just noting your current state, checking in internally, until you're ready to come to the breath. Natural soft breathing. And when you're ready to introduce the mantra, you do so with the breathing. So as you inhale, hum as you exhale. Remember in practicing a mantra like this, a Sanskrit mantra, you are linking back through the years and tradition of yoga and meditation.

So even bringing that kind of reverent feeling tone to yourself and the use of the mantra increases its benefits. So hum, I am that. Okay? Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. So remember, if today is challenging for you, maybe one of those meditations where your mind is really, really going, keep pulling it back gently. Don't be harsh with yourself. Coming back to inhale, sow and exhale, hum. But if you simply find yourself in the flow, maybe lost the rhythm of the breath, not even aware of the breath, but still hearing the mantra, that's excellent.

Just stay with that process and don't feel tied to your breathing. Because always the technique is there to help us when we're having a hard time, when the nature of the mind to be overly active and busy is taking over. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Continue with that inner sound, but at the same time aware of your body.

Maintain the lift and the alignment. If there's any tension building anywhere, eyes can get hard behind the lids. You might catch yourself clenching your teeth, gauging your shoulders. Remind yourself to relax. Go with tension or over effort and keep coming back to that repetition in your mind.

So hum. So hum. I am that. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Keep returning to your technique. Stay just a few minutes longer. Again, if anything is creeping into the body that's causing you discomfort or collapse, times you may have to gently realign, attend to the physical so you can go back to that deep internal focus. Last few minutes of practice, keep using that inner sound, tracking your mind along that beneficial groove with the mantra creating a beneficial mental groove. Part of the meditation process is recognizing sometimes we have not so beneficial, maybe even negative mental grooves.

So then we apply the effort to create a positive new mental groove. And mantra is one of the most powerful means of doing that. I am that. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Now go ahead and release the technique and yet pay attention to the effects of the meditation. So this is your second time with an extended amount of silence and the mantra. So observe what you're feeling, quality of energy, emotional content, quality of your mind.

Just pay attention to whatever might be happening on the inside and it's not always easy. Sometimes certain techniques are really challenging. You might be experiencing a lot of internal frustration or distraction, maybe not. Maybe you feel a real sense of ease and a clarity with the mantra. Just have this moment to observe.

Take note of the effects of the meditation. Anything you're observing is correct. Any experience you're having is okay. Bringing the meditation to a close, as we do, bring the palms together at your heart. Namaste.

See you on the cushion tomorrow, new mantra.