Big Awareness Meditation

During extra busy times, we often tend to put blinders on, bringing our focus completely to our own personal circumstances, plans, future or past.While planning for the future and attending to our personal needs and business is good, our busyness-induced tunnel vision can cause us to forget that the world around us is a very big, wondrous place.Taking our focus away from the details of our own lives and to our present moment and surroundings can bring joy and relaxation during busy times, reminding us of where we are right now.Try this simple meditation technique to explore the world around you and to bring your awareness to the present. This technique can either be used as a precursor to your regular meditation practice or as a stand-alone practice at any time.1 - Find a comfortable seated position, either on the floor or in a chair, where you can elongate your spine2 - Gently close your eyes and begin to notice your breath as it moves in and out. Allow your awareness to sink into the body, noticing sensations and where the body is in space3 - As you continue breathing, let your awareness grow bigger, hearing the sounds in the room or immediately around you. Do not label the sounds, just become aware of them4 - Taking your time, allow your awareness to grow bigger and bigger, travel farther and farther, becoming aware of more and more sounds5 - Visualize your energy or mind growing farther out of the body each time you expand your range of awareness. Let everything your awareness touches become part of you as your energy expands6 - Continue like this for a few minutes or as long as is comfortable. Give yourself plenty of time to come back to center before gently opening the eyes