Artwork for podcast Beginning with mindfulness meditation
Guided Meditation: Feel Rest
Episode 44th July 2022 • Beginning with mindfulness meditation • mindier
00:00:00 00:11:30

Share Episode

Shownotes

The Feel Rest technique: In this technique we practice identifying rest in the body. We sensitize to the idea of relatively active vs. relatively inactive in order to understand the spectrum of relaxation. We also work with the exhale to cultivate rest.

From Issue #6

Guided meditation for students of the mindfulness training at the Nelson Buddhist Centre in early 2022.

Transcripts

Chris Dumler:

So we're going to work with a technique now called "feel rest".

Chris Dumler:

So feel we are in the physical and emotional body space and rest.

Chris Dumler:

We're going to attempt to locate, identify, maybe even create

Chris Dumler:

or cultivate something that we'll call rest, relaxation.

Chris Dumler:

A lot of us are familiar with, generally, what that means or feels

Chris Dumler:

like, but we can expand it a little bit by using the word "activity".

Chris Dumler:

So anything that seems active would not be restful and anything

Chris Dumler:

that is relatively low activity might be considered more restful.

Chris Dumler:

So we can think of it as a spectrum.

Chris Dumler:

A lot of people come to meditation specifically to find relaxation or calm or

Chris Dumler:

tranquility or some type of inner peace.

Chris Dumler:

And that's because it can be very rewarding.

Chris Dumler:

So let's practice identifying rest, and we're gonna start by identifying contrast.

Chris Dumler:

So go ahead and stretch a little bit, you can stretch the physical body.

Chris Dumler:

You can also try stretching from the inside, whatever that might mean.

Chris Dumler:

Eyes can be open or closed, and let's sensitize to this technique,

Chris Dumler:

starting with the shoulders.

Chris Dumler:

So bring your attention to your shoulders.

Chris Dumler:

And tighten them up, just tighten them up and feel the activity, what

Chris Dumler:

we might call activity, and then slowly release, feel something change

Chris Dumler:

as it comes to what might be a more relaxed or restful position.

Chris Dumler:

There's there's a difference.

Chris Dumler:

So go ahead and try it again.

Chris Dumler:

Tense it, notice the tension, place your attention into that.

Chris Dumler:

What, how might you describe it?

Chris Dumler:

And then slowly release, keep your focus in that area.

Chris Dumler:

And think about the description you might use as that changes

Chris Dumler:

to a complete more at rest position.

Chris Dumler:

Try that a couple more times on your own.

Chris Dumler:

Notice when you tighten up, do you hold your breath

Chris Dumler:

when you release?

Chris Dumler:

Is there an exhale

Chris Dumler:

by identifying the contrast here?

Chris Dumler:

This helps us practice noticing when we are more tense and that allows us to take

Chris Dumler:

some action and intentionally focus on the relaxation that we might discover.

Chris Dumler:

Good.

Chris Dumler:

Now, let go of that.

Chris Dumler:

And see if there's a little bit of relaxation here for a moment.

Chris Dumler:

Those are ways we can identify it.

Chris Dumler:

Let's try intentionally creating or cultivating rest,

Chris Dumler:

and we're gonna use the exhale for this.

Chris Dumler:

So inhale,

Chris Dumler:

and then on your exhale.

Chris Dumler:

Notice the sensation that accompanies that as the whole chest and diaphragm,

Chris Dumler:

the lungs, everything changes

Chris Dumler:

continue with that.

Chris Dumler:

Just keep your attention on

Chris Dumler:

the exhale.

Chris Dumler:

To help us with the concentration here.

Chris Dumler:

We can use noting and labeling.

Chris Dumler:

And so when you focus on the exhale acknowledge any restful

Chris Dumler:

sensation you might experience,

Chris Dumler:

you might identify some qualities.

Chris Dumler:

around that experience.

Chris Dumler:

Where does the restfulness occur?

Chris Dumler:

Does it have intensity?

Chris Dumler:

Is it wide or narrow?

Chris Dumler:

Oh,

Chris Dumler:

by identifying qualities like this.

Chris Dumler:

Okay.

Chris Dumler:

We are appreciating the rest

Chris Dumler:

a little bit more.

Chris Dumler:

And then if you wanna use a label, the label for this is rest.

Chris Dumler:

So as an example, I inhale,

Chris Dumler:

I noticed the feelings of the breath coming into play.

Chris Dumler:

And then on the exhale, I noticed the body relaxed, relaxes my

Chris Dumler:

shoulders, relax my chest.

Chris Dumler:

Relax.

Chris Dumler:

Relaxes.

Chris Dumler:

So relax.

Chris Dumler:

Can't even speak and then I apply a label rest when I detect that.

Chris Dumler:

So

Chris Dumler:

it's just a neutral label.

Chris Dumler:

Rest,

Chris Dumler:

rest,

Chris Dumler:

rest, something like that.

Chris Dumler:

Try that on each of your exhales.

Chris Dumler:

And if you

Chris Dumler:

want to open up.

Chris Dumler:

The range a little bit.

Chris Dumler:

You can freely float your attention around the body, on the exhale.

Chris Dumler:

So you don't need to feel confined just to the chest area.

Chris Dumler:

You might see if other areas in the body find some relaxation on the exhale.

Chris Dumler:

As a reminder, if thoughts or other sensory experiences

Chris Dumler:

come into play it's okay.

Chris Dumler:

We're not getting rid of thoughts.

Chris Dumler:

Other experiences don't need to go away.

Chris Dumler:

We're just directing our attention to the physical body.

Chris Dumler:

Let the other things be in the background, they get to exist.

Chris Dumler:

They just don't get the full attention right now.

Chris Dumler:

Good.

Chris Dumler:

So rest can be rewarding.

Chris Dumler:

As we mentioned, can be something useful to cultivate.

Chris Dumler:

It's not solely in the physical body you might detect rest in sea space.

Chris Dumler:

If you close your eyes and just notice the calmness behind.

Chris Dumler:

The closed lids, or maybe you go into a quiet room and notice the

Chris Dumler:

change in activity from active to more restful in the heater space.

Chris Dumler:

So you can appreciate rest and relaxation in any of the spaces.

Chris Dumler:

See here or.

Chris Dumler:

And if you found a little bit of rest and relaxation in this practice, try and carry

Chris Dumler:

that into the next phase of your day.

Chris Dumler:

If you need, if anything was confusing.

Chris Dumler:

Uncomfortable uncertain, try and greet that with some acceptance

Follow

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube