Relaxed Awareness Meditation: Inner Body

Sit on an upright chair or cross-legged on a cushion on the floor. Close your eyes. Be aware of your breathing. Feel the air moving in and out of the body. Become aware of any physical sensations you may feel, such as tension, tightness or pain. We may call this the outer layer of sensations. Notice the sensations, and continue to feel them. Relax the body, especially the areas where you feel any tension or tightness. If you feel pain, whether it is physical or emotional, notice the sensation. Allow yourself to feel whatever it is you are feeling. As you continue to watch and feel, you may notice the mind wanting to label the sensations as "tightness, tension, pain, anger" or whatever the emotion may be. The mind may want to revive a memory or tell a story about the emotion. However, don't be interested in memories and stories. Just be aware of the feeling. Without the memory and story, it is only sensation. Continue to be aware and feel the breath and outer layer of sensations.

Now see if you can turn your attention even deeper to the sensation of the inner body. If you cannot feel the inner body, start with feeling your hands. Hold your hands up in front of you with palms facing up. Make sure the hands are not touching or resting on anything. However, you may wish to rest your elbows on your knees or a pillow. Close your eyes. Ask yourself, "How do I know that I have hands?" Feel your attention move into your hands. You might feel a slight tingling, warmth, numbness or aliveness. This is the beginning of feeling the inner body. Feeling this life force is your connection to stillness.

Now let your attention move into different parts of the body (arms, shoulders, legs, feet, hips, torso, neck and head). After feeling the different parts of the body, see if you can feel your entire body as a single energy field. This is who you are at a level deeper than the physical. Keep your attention on feeling the entire inner body for five to 10 minutes, and enjoy your meditation.