In many ways life feels like it is entirely about boundaries these days. Physical distancing boundaries. Emotional baggage boundaries. Financial limitation boundaries. News feed exposure boundaries. Employment boundaries.
Last week I presented some general topics to get meditation off the ground for anyone new to the practice and give new direction and depth to those who have a regular practice. This week I hope to concentrate on the idea of boundaries in an attempt to be of help to anyone in need of strength around them.
Personally, the most important thing I have learned through meditation is how to strengthen my boundaries. Healthy boundaries are a key to keeping ourselves healthy and safe. For many people, recognizing where their body ends and the world begins is an easy given. For others, a sense of this separating boundary can be loose, perhaps loose enough to allow space for unhealthy things to grow.
When I asked my girls about the topic of external boundaries their words were all about respect. How are we respecting one another by engaging in physical touch only with permission? In these strange days, how are we respecting the 6 foot invisible perimeter around all other humans that keeps people safer? I can say our city is definitely struggling to envision how large 6 feet actually is while sharing the outdoors and sidewalks for exercise.
After spending time with people experiencing deep emotions, I often struggle with physical constriction in places, particularly my chest and neck. I am constantly working to ensure that while I am gentle and flexible in how I respond both internally and externally, I am well protected so I do not take on emotional or physical baggage that is not my own.
For Meditation Today:
- Find your comfortable meditation position.
- Notice your breath. Begin to lengthen the exhales and inhales, engaging the diaphragm as previously taught.
- Slowly scan your body to notice the edges. This may take a few minutes, this may take half an hour.
- Begin at the crown of the head and come down the back of the head. Is it hot/cold? What is touching your hair? Where is your hair touching other things?
- Come through the forehead and temples, down through the brow and eyes.
- Notice the ears and sides of the head.
- Continue with the face – across the check bones where we store our rules, sinuses and nose, cheeks. Down through the mouth and lips into the chin.
- Come down around all sides of the neck.
- Into the shoulders and down the back across the shoulder blades.
- Notice the top front of the chest.
- Bring awareness down the arms noticing all sides- through the elbows and lower arms – into the wrists, hands and fingers.
- Return to the torso across the rest of the chest and upper back.
- Attention goes lower all the way around the waist, sinking into the hips and pelvis.
- Notice your legs – all around the upper legs and knees.
- Attention sinks through your lower legs into your ankles, feet and toes.
- Give yourself time to be in this space of clear boundaries for a few breaths and see what may arise for you.