Welcome to Day 2 of your Mindfulness and Meditation Journey

Day 2 - Exploring Body Awareness: Acknowledgement in physical responsiveness

“When you come to innocent, unconditioned listening, your body goes spontaneously into deep peace.” – Jean Klein

Day 2 - (1) Exploring Awareness

In Day 1 we awakened awareness by exploring our reactions, sensations and thoughts when we recognize we are multi tasking and also during the extended meditation. 

When we start to recognize the distraction of our mind and actions, it may bring up more agitation initially.  This is partly because we are judging our behaviour. The mind’s nature is to move.  This is beneficial if we are scanning for danger, such as escaping predators. However, our current everyday dangers tend to be internally based, such as will “I eat another biscuit, do my paperwork or call a friend,” etc.  If your mind does become distracted, recognize and offer gratitude for acknowledging the moment. Then re-centre yourself.  We will continue to explore the different techniques you may use to bring your self back to a place of groundedness.

Today we continue to explore our awareness once we recognize our distracted state.

Have you ever experienced looking through windows that are covered with grime?  Perhaps worn glasses with greasy smears? Or perhaps, taken a photo only to find out later that the lens was covered with smudged finger prints?

Ponder your reaction for a moment:

• What impact does it have on you?

• How does that make you feel?  

• Do you notice any shifts in how you behave in these situations?

These are examples of factors that influence how we see things.  Our options in these situations are to:

1. Ignore the fact that your vision or picture is obscured.

2. Recall what the image should look like based on our memory or imagination

3. We might be motivated to clean the surfaces so we can clearly see out the glasses, the windows or capture the picture we were hoping to keep.

This same concept may be applied to how we experience life.  We view life through our own internal lens.  Being aware of what is truly happening in and around ourselves may be referred to as clear perception. Obscured perception is when we create our own story or narrative of what occurred. Within our daily lives, our perspective fluctuates between the 3 states above in various circumstances either consciously or unconsciously.  

When observing the shifts in the clear perception of the mind-body, I’ve provided some examples of my interpretation of some of my client’s comments made at various times that highlight processing from these 3 states:

State 1 - IGNORE THE SITUATION:

• “I don’t want to know”

• “I don’t want to adjust” 

• “I’m too busy to pay attention”

State 2 - RECALL PAST CIRCUMSTANCES

• “I want things to be how they used to be”

• “This never used to be a problem”

• “I’m a busy proactive person that operates on little sleep and gets a lot done.”

State 3 - PROACTIVE MOTIVATION

• “I would like to have restorative sleep but not sure how to access it”

• “I want more harmony in my emotional responses.  I want to be less angry … less anxious, less depressed … less worried … less sad … less fearful”

• “How can I gain clarity and move away from my constant foggy head”

Do any of these statements resonate with you?

Sometimes these statements resonate with a particular aspect of our day to day life.  For example, we may feel like exploring our responses during our creative pursuit but not about our eating patterns.  Focusing on which “lens” you apply in different areas of your life will be explored in future sessions, but for the moment it is helpful to become aware of your physical reactions and sensations that arise. 

Recognise if you experience any similar internal dialogue, thoughts, feelings, sensations as I identified above. Accept these as being valid and acknowledge your initial aims at the beginning of the course.  If possible, reset to a grounded, vital place, where we may maintain a strong foundation within ourselves. To access clear perception, we must first come from a centered or grounded place.  Today’s explored awareness is to reinforce our centred space.  

Mindfulness living means bringing focus into our everyday lived experience with gratitude, kindness, compassion and equanimity.

Remember, throughout this 7 day journey, to honour yourself with:

• Gratitude for creating the space to carry out the activity.

• Kindness and consideration for those moments that you lose track of how and what you are "meant" to be doing. 

• Kindness for the times when you find obstacles, or experience a sense of conflict whilst proceeding.

• Compassion for other’s perspectives. Each person’s experience is uniquely their own.

• Equanimity or establishing a sense of flow and non-judgement

Day 2 - (2) Mindfulness Activity: Exploring Awareness

“Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing is a field.  I’ll meet you there.” – Rumi

Allow yourself to be in a comfortable position that enables you to actively observe and connect more deeply with the mindfulness activity. If you need to move during the session, do so, slowly and with as little distraction as possible. 

If at any time you feel unsafe or compromised please seek support from myself at info@ezense.com.au &/or your Health Care provider.

Day 2 - (3) Intention: Recognizing & Exploring Awareness



If you haven't yet completed the Day 2 Mindfulness – Exploring Awareness audio, do so before proceeding further. This will set the Intention for the day.

• How did you respond to today’s passive awareness task in comparison to yesterday’s active awareness task?  Which was easier for you to access.

• What environmental conditions help you do your mindfulness and meditation session?

• How difficult or easy is it to settle the body-mind-spirit at the beginning of the session?

• Were you able to observe and identify the various qualities outlined in the recording?

• Do you have a signal that alerts you that you are distracted or deviated from your path?

Throughout the day, I recommend you consciously select a prompt to practice your centering technique.  Choose something that you do often enough that you may have multiple times throughout the day to practice.  For Example: Every time you go to the bathroom, you take one considered breath to reset and reinforce a grounding technique.

If you would like, record your responses in the optional reflective journal. Reflections provide an opportunity to consolidate what we have gained from doing the activity.

Today's intention is: to reinforce our centered space.  

Recognize when you are distracted from your purpose. As you notice the distraction, offer congratulations for your awareness and recognition of the moment. Take a considered breath observing the movement in your mind-body-spirit. Access a place of centredness. Consciously ask yourself - "Is this my desire to move forward in this manner?" Choose to move forward empowered with acknowledgement of your choice that this is your best action.

Day 2 - (4) Reflective Journal: Optional Mindfulness Observations - Explored Awareness



Now is a good time for us to briefly stop and reflect on our experiences from today’s exercises. If you like, you can record your observations in your Reflection Journal, although as previously discussed, keeping one is purely optional. However it is highly recommended that you at least take the time to properly reflect, because doing this will help us to better consolidate what we have learned from doing the activity. Although you are welcome to record or reflect on any information, observations, thoughts or considerations that feel appropriate for you, you may also like to consider the following Questions, which are aimed at helping you to focus on the reflective process better:

• What environmental conditions help you to do your mindfulness and meditation session?

• How difficult or easy is it to settle the body-mind-spirit at the beginning of the session?

• Were you able to observe and identify the various qualities outlined in the recording?

• How did you respond to today’s passive awareness task in comparison to yesterday’s active awareness task?  Which was easier for you to access?

In addition to the above, you may find that reflecting on the following Questions also helps support your journey:

• Reflecting on the past, did I often use centering techniques on myself?

• What are examples of techniques that work for me?

• Are there specific circumstances that tend to make me more restless or distracted?

• Are there specific circumstances where I am more mindful?

• Why would I want to practice returning to my centre?

• Do I have a signal that alerts me that I'm distracted or have deviated from my path?

Day 2 - (5) Meditation: Exploring the Breath

“One who understands the breath quickly tastes the ecstasy of liberation.” – Goraksashastra

When we breathe we fall into an internal rhythm like the movement of an ocean, there is an ebb and flow.  As we ride the tide of the breath, we no longer fight the movement, but we become one with the deeper fabric of our very essence.

Throughout our observation of the areas of the breath, we are given choices as to location and therefore the space from which we breath in and out of.  At times we may breathe from the belly, the lower ribs, middle chest or, high in the chest near the throat.  When we guide the breath through and into these areas, it has a different effect on our physical body by massaging the structure underneath it, therefore moving the muscles over the lungs, rib cage, diaphragm and abdomen.  When muscles move, they require oxygen and nutrient enriched blood to be pumped into our tissues, as well as enabling waste products to be carried away. This massaging effect optimizes the function of the supportive muscular structure, as well as effecting our total wellbeing.

Experiment with breathing into these different areas and notice the physical sensation and the emotional effect at each location.  Often this task is difficult as we realize that we can easily locate and activate some areas of the body and may have difficulty engaging other areas.  The body’s ability to adapt and learn is quite rapid given the opportunity to practice with awareness.  You may consciously draw your focus and action to a specific area as you breathe.  Alternatively, you may guide the breath by physically touching the relevant area as you carry out the action.

CONGRATULATIONS - You have now completed Day 2 of the Ezense Mindfulness & Meditation Course!

To continue on to Day 3, simply click on the “NEXT” button below. But please note: it won’t be accessible until it is time to be released as outlined in the Daily Schedule. Also remember, you can always come back to this page to go over any material in a previous Day at any time during your 7 day access to this course.