by Jay Coldwell, RYT-200 & iRest Meditation Level 2 Teacher 

The stream of consciousness below is similar to what many people experience in an iRest guided meditation practice. As you do your test drive, be sure to notice some things:

• Moving into direct experience, beyond thoughts and language. Embodiment of sensation, emotion, thought, belief. This is a somatic experience. An experience that welcomes whatever arises. No attachment or aversion. No “trying not to think”.
• A slow release of the I-centric thought. Noticing presence without reference to “I”. Not trying to do that, but it happens because of the somatic technique of the body scan and breath awareness.
• Curiosity as to what is coming into Awareness; what is real; defensiveness falling away; letting truth emerge out of insight from the heart.
• Noticing a Stillness that is always there. It gets covered by the noise of the world, but as we practice iRest, we also notice that Stillness is ALWAYS available, and that everything arises in Stillness.

Enjoy your test drive!

Here I am, attending iRest guided meditation. I hope it’s not too weird. I hope I don’t fall asleep. But how could I fall asleep in a room full of other people, or on Zoom? That’s not going to happen.

Why am I here? What is bugging me? Something is bugging me. Not sure – maybe there is something wrong with me. My boss seems to think so, sometimes….

So. Here we go. Tuning in to the sensations of the room – light, sound, touch, smell, taste….presence of others…..I hope I have time to get to the grocery store. I hope people are wearing masks now……Oh yes, sensations in the room…..Noticing how senses are more vivid when I focus attention on them one-by-one.

Why am I here – oh yes….what is bugging me…is there something wrong??? I should have worn more comfortable clothes, or at least something that looks better….Yes, what IS BUGGING ME? Hmmm. calm down a bit.

Feeling into that memory of Lake Superior, its sounds, movement, deep vitality, it’s gentle swells evoking a feeling of dynamic security, safety, attunement with life……sanctuary…..in the flow.

Remembering that my motivation is for the benefit of all…for myself for sure, but also for all…I even contribute to charity….and I develop skills that help people….I took CPR certification, right? So some things are right with me…..

Ok – let’s focus…..I wonder what the new restaurant across the street is like….we’ll have to go there soon….oops – OK –

Feeling sensations in the jaw…..the teeth….gums….tongue….sides of the mouth….roof of the mouth……any tastes present……and then moving awareness to the inner ear…..really – can people be aware of their inner ear??? ….the structure of the outer ear…any sensation in the outer ear…..hmmm….what was it I needed to do tonight? Something I needed to remember…..feeling the weight of the eyes pressing back into the head….and behind the eyes…..whoa…I do feel something here….following the guidance….really aware of the hands….palms of the hands…..left, then right, then both together…..brain doesn’t talk so much now….oops, focus……..feeling the surface of the body….feeling beyond the body….hey you can!…focus…..following energy of breath on left side, then right side, then both sides…..hmmm…this feels sleepy…..I CAN’T fall asleep – what if I snore???

Now noticing what is present…(what does that mean)….curious…what IS there?…..sensation…pain in left shoulder…..tight….warm…..deep red……pulsating…..radiant……Hmm…it changes as Awareness moves there….bigger, then smaller…..How would it be if that wasn’t there??….curious…..attending…..feeling…..words don’t describe it, but the sensation is distinct…….Now feeling both the pain and the other sensation at the same time…..amazing….shifting…..

A belief comes into Awareness……my boss thinks I’m not good enough……yes, that constricts, right there…..noticing size, texture, movement……..and an opposite belief comes into Awareness……I’m ok….feeling that…size, texture, movement….alternating then feeling both at once….. …… …… …… hmmm….communication could change…..remember that…..

And letting Awareness rest……mind rest….. …… ….. Noticing Stillness…… a brief moment of Stillness….. Resting…… Stillness pervading…. Timeless, Spacious, Familiar, Whole, Perfect…..Resting… Stillness…. …… ….. …..

Remembering – oh yes, change in communication — and – stillness. Feeling surroundings, light, sound, touch, smell, taste…..stillness… opening and closing eyes….was I asleep? Sanctuary….Peaceful….Aware….oh yes, I need to run that errand….and still a sense of Stillness. Breathing deeply, stretching, really back in the room. Moving on with my day.